A shadowed past, A new future
by laureano
Summary: Three years after the Requiem battle, Athrun and Cagalli are finally prepared to unite their lives together. Then Kira's mother presents to Cagalli a Letter that steers her down a potentially dangerous path alone. What secret awaits? Will it be to late?
1. Chapter 1: The Encounter

Chapter one: The Encounter

It has been three years since the defeat of Chairman Gilbert Dullindal who perished along with Talia, Rey and so many others during the Requiem battle. After the world was saved yet again everyone yearned to return to the times of peace when the world was not at war. Athrun decided to return to Orb to help Cagalli rebuild her country, and Kira followed Lacus to the Plants. To no ones dismay, Murrue Ramius, Commander la Fllaga and Andy wafeld formally known as the desert tiger were once again living peacefully in Orb. Andy decided that he wanted to open a coffee shop promoting his own custom made blends. Of which one blend imparticular named _ezelya _had reached the hight of it's popularity. As the military's top ranking admiral Athrun's primary duty was to ensure that Orbs military defenses were rebuilt. Aside from that he was also one of Orbs top military advisors, therefore a great deal of his time was spent attending cabinet meetings.

On this particular day Athrun decided to go over to the mansion where he now spends 70% of his time discussing political, military as well as personal issues with cagalli. He couldn't be happier now that he has a power of his own. At least This way he can be with Cagalli and not feel useless, but still have a purpose that's not directly connected to her. It's now the weekend and he is having dinner with Cagalli.

"Two more weeks" Athrun says as he smiles at cagalli across the dinner table.

"Let's make one thing clear….We may be getting married, but I'M_ NOT CHANGING MY NAME!" said Cagalli with a serious expression on her face.

"Hum…..Maybe we could compromise…" Athrun says as he smiles. "I've spoken to Kira he said that both he and lacus will be coming down a few days before the wedding to visit with everyone, and do a little sight-seeing. He also wanted us to join them for dinner one night. I told him that sounds great."

"Really…That's Great!" said Cagalli "I can't wait to see him I was so afraid that I would rely upon him that I haven't seen him in the past three years."

"I know what your saying cagalli, but I really wish you wouldn't think that way, you're a lot stronger than that- after all you are the leader of ORB."

She stood up and walked onto the adjoining dinning room balcony. Athrun arose to follow her-

"It's ok Cagalli even if Kira isn't here- I'll still protect you. We did promise each other right? Remember when you said the hardest battle is to keep living. I guess we'll have to fight to the end together." At that moment Athrun embraced her as they kissed then stared onward into the moonlight.

The next day as Cagalli awoke she realized that is was noon. She became frantic as she was late for a lunch date with kira's adoptive mother and her natural aunt Caliday Yamato.

"Merna!" She screamed

"Ms. Cagalli! I already have your clothes set aside for you...",

"Thank you.. Merna." responded Cagalli as she raced to get dressed.

A short time later she arrived to meet Kira's mother at her home on the beach.

"Hello!" she yelled as she waved to her aunt Caliday who was gazing out at the vast ocean.

"Hello Cagalli!" replied Caliday enthusiastically "It's such a beautiful afternoon…I thought that perhaps we could have lunch outside. I hope that's OK?,"

Cagalli tilted her head to the side and smiled before sitting down on the sand. While eating lunch they engaged in lighthearted conversation.

"I love the waves" Cagalli exclaimed "have you heard from Kira?"

Yes, he told me that he would be arriving in Orb a few days before your wedding. I really do wish that you would speak to him. I think that he would love to hear from you. After all, He is your brother.

"I know," Cagalli hung her head down stareing at the glistening sand.. It's just that I need to become stronger for me, my country, Athrun, and all the people who depend on me. I'm afraid that if I talk to Kira, that I may begin to rely upon him again and I want to see him happy without having to worry about me and my responsibilities. I don't want him to feel that he has to fight, because fighting doesn't always happen on the battlefield. Kira worried about protecting me before and I felt as If I took him from the one that he loves, because of my selfishness and inability to see what was going on around me. I can't let that happen again. _Sorry I know this sounds bad_, I hope that you don't hate me- _for what I said_"

"NO...I understand." Then at that precise moment there was a shift in the wind, as her aunt gently took out a letter from the pocket of her dress. "I'm sorry Cagalli, but there is another reason that I've called you here today. Cagalli looked at her in bewilderment. The other day while I was at the clothing store, I was admiring a dress for your wedding. Then someone whispered to me "please give this to lady cagalli" and when I turned around no one was there. I _thought_... I was imagining things, that is until I went to pay for my dress, that's when I reached inside my purse and pulled this out,….It was a letter addressed to you. I don't know it's contents and I hope it's nothing terrible. Perhaps it's from a crazed fan" They both chuckeld at the thought.

"Perhaps" said Cagalli as they could hardly contain their laughter.

"It's ok whatever the reason I am just happy to be able to spend this time with you today. You are the closest person to my brother; After all, you are my family. I can't be sad for that- They both laughed. You will be at the wedding won't you?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Two hours later she waved good-bye to her Aunt and then collapsed with exhaustion in the back of her limo. After having such a wonderful day she couldn't wait for dinner. Eventhough he still hadn't moved in yet, they often planned their evening meals together. It was the only time of the day that she and Athrun could spend quality time together which seemed few and far between. As soon as she walked in the house she ran straight to her bedroom to change, and set the letter on her night stand as she prepared to meet with the man of her dreams. Overwhelmed with excitement she pulled out the ring that had been sitting in her top dresser drawer for so long. She decided that she would wear it tonight in addition to a beautiful purple island dress with a seashell necklace to reflect her mood. While waiting for athruns arrival she was about to open the letter, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Excuse me for the intrusion Lady Cagalli, but Master Athrun Zala has arrived."

Master Athrun she thought- no more Alex Dino he's finally accepted his destiny. She looked at the letter and thought I'll have to save it for later. She gently placed it on the nightstand and then turned to leave.

As she walked into the dinning room, Athrun stood up, as she gracefully walked to her chair at the elongated dinner table. He could hardly believe his eyes.

"Why are you staring at me like that" she said.

"I'm sorry" Athrun said shockingly "it's just that you look amazing!"

"What are you trying to say?" Athrun was taken aback like a scared rabbit and cagalli laughed and said, "I'm joking thank you." At that moment he noticed the ring.

"You're…. wearing it!"

"Well yeah, what did you think! I mean- we are _en...gaged_"

"I know but its just- ahhh thanks", and he smiled

"So what took you so long, I've been waiting for an hour?" Athrun said as they sat down to eat.

"I went to have lunch with Kira's mother and I kind of lost track of time- sorry about that-"

"It's alright your defiantly worth waiting for, but not for long the weekend after next you'll finally be my wife." They both grinned at the thought of that.

Towards the end of the evening before they kissed each other good night Athrun mentioned to Cagalli that he would be going to the plants next weekend. Ezak, Dearka, Kira and the others were going to throw him a bachelor party and asked if she would like to come along and spend some time with lacus and visit Kira.

"No" she said apprehensively, "I'll see him at the wedding"

"I really do wish you would reconsider- I guess I'll see you tomorrow"~ they embraced and then kissed each other goodnight.

For the rest of the week it was business as usual. One meeting after the next, and one project after the other, but as long as Athurn was by her side she didn't have to worry about the safety of her country. Only the state of the government, Even though, she had many supporters she still had a few enemies who would love to see her ousted or with little power if none at all. Then one morning she woke up and before she realized it- it was Friday. Not only was it A national day off from work It was also the day Athrun was leaving for the plants. This time next weekend she would be Mrs. Cagalli Yula Attha Zala- After all, she did say that she wasn't going to change her name-, but that didn't mean she couldn't add to it. As far as she was concerned what better way for her and Athrun to tie their destiny's together then with the same name.

Then while she was drinking her tea at the tea table in her room as she did every morning. She realized that she hadn't read the letter, and it had been a week. It was at least 3 more hours before she was to meet Athrun at the shuttle, _so she thought_ she'd take an hour for herself. Well ...There's no time like the present, at least thats what whe was thinking as she opened the letter to read it.

Twenty-minutes later a loud sound of glass shattering could be heard from cagalli's room-

"Miss Cagalli is everything alright! Miss Cagalli!" I'm coming in – As soon as the butler entered the room he saw Cagalli as white as a ghost, and catatonic at that-

"Are you alright!" - The butler asked…

Cagalli couldn't find the words to speak…. but~When the butler said, "I'll contact master Zala"

Cagalli uttered "- No! - I'm alright, I was jusssttt Having premarital jitters-please don't worry Athrun, It's nothing really"

Inspite, of saying that- nothing could erase what she just read. She knew that letter was going to turn her entire life if not world upside down.

Cagalli could hardly contain herself after much assurance butler Ito left. "What do I do?" she thought "Who do I tell?"

First she wanted to run to Kira. Secondly she thought she should tell Athrun. Why not, after all they would soon share everything together and he is to be part of her life. There was only one hour until shuttle lift off, and no time to waste. She would have to drive herself to the launch pad. She Quickly jumped into Athrun's black convertible Lamborghini that he left in her care, and drove like a maniac racing to get to him. What seemed like hours to her were minutes in actuality. Once she arrived she ran like wildfire to reach his side.

"Athrun! Wait!" screamed Cagalli.

"I'm so glad you came" said Athrun with an elated look on his face. As he looked around he seemed a bit puzzled and then he noticed that something didn't seem quite right.

"No guards?...ah I see you've changed your mind about going to the plants-that's great! Kira and lacus will be so surprised no wonder you were racing to get to me….I noticed that you didn't bring any luggage. DON'T worry we'll buy everything you need when we get there."

"-but Athrun…..I…uh"

"Hum, what is it? Come on we've got to hurry, we'll talk about it after we take off" Just as he said that he grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the shuttle. Cagalli saw the look of excitement on his face and realized that she didn't, no she couldn't burden him with what she had to tell him, and she must protect Kira, **no** _she needed to protect all of them from what lies ahead._

After a moment or two of pulling her to the shuttle Athrun began to realize that she was exasperating. So he stopped and turned around.

"Cagalli?" said Athrun with this troubled look on his face, as he gazed deep into her golden eyes-something looked a miss, it's as if her soul had been tampered with, within a moments time he couldn't contain himself when he forcefully said . "WHATS WRONG!" as if he was demanding her very life.

Cagalli had never seen this look of seriousness, anger and despair all rolled up into one in his expressions before- even if it wasn't what she wanted- she had to say something.-

"Nothing! AHHH it's ju…st you go on ahead. I'll see you when you get back" Athrun looked disappointed, not knowing whether to believe her or not, but he didn't have time to ponder the thought as the shuttle needed to take off before the atmospheric window closed. However, he did manage to bring forth a smile as if to comfort her in some small way.

"I guess it's ok then, After all we'll soon have the rest of our lives together." Cagalli tilted her head to the side-

"Um.. hum Ath-"before she could edge another word out he embraced her passionately and kissed her moist lips as if it were the last time.

"I love you Athrun", Cagalli said as he boarded the shuttle for the plants.

As she watched his shuttle take off toward the orange blue sky all she could do was close her eyes and pray for strength. She promised herself that she would face this alone. She decided that from this point forward she no longer wanted to be protected without being able to protect. Now that Athrun was gone there was no going back, her decision had been made. As the last smoke stream disappeared in the now starry lit sky-thinking about the letter she whispered beneath her breath, "_**What am I?"**_


	2. Chapter 2: The Meeting

Chapter 2: The Meeting

It was a long and grueling flight not, because of the turbulence, but because Athrun couldn't take his mind of Cagalli. Something bothered him about the look in her eyes. He felt tormented from a far. He kept thinking over, and over in his mind, _**I should of stayed, I should of stayed. Deep**_ down inside he wished he had – He kept toying with the thought of returning to Orb He had it all planned out in his head, when he heard the sound of the shuttle land. But before he could hastily follow through with his plan, the shuttle doors parted and in front of him stood Kira and Lacus. Athrun was so overcome with Joy that for a moment he forgot all about Cagalli.

On the drive to the home with Kira and Lacus Athrun seemed a bit nonchalant, so much so that Kira couldn't resist asking,

"So how is Cagalli?" Athrun avoided looking Kira straight in the eyes for fear of being read..

" Ahhhhh she's fine" as much as he wanted to discuss his worries with Kira he just couldn't bring himself to disrupt a happy occasion, so He decided to put his best on the outside that is _until_ he had more information.

Meanwhile, Cagalli decided that she didn't want to go home that night. She wanted to do something different for a change; she felt that she needed to clear her head. Before she knew it she had driven to the beach. She decided to take off her shoes and go for a walk- for some reason the touch of the sand on her feet made her feel grounded. She felt a sense of peace as the wind blew wispily against her face. She soon desired to sit down on the sand to feel the waves of warm water on her feet. She noticed how the ring that Athrun gave her glistened in the moonlight. She never imagined she'd miss him this much.

"It's very beautiful", Cagalli quickly jumped to her feet to see whom was speaking to her, after all, she had no bodyguards with her. What she saw was a beautiful woman with long light brown hair a blue off shoulder satin summer dress and a sterling unforgettable smile- she looked somewhat regal.

"I'm sorry; I ah thought I was alone"

"It's alright this beach is big enough for the both of us. I just couldn't help noticing your ring. Its splendor was intensified by the moonlight"

"I'm sorry I didn't get your name" Cagalli stuttered

'"It's ok, I didn't give it"

"For some reason you look familiar. Have we met?"

"Maybe in another life _but not in this one_...He'll come back to you"

_"What?"_

"The person who gave you that ring he'll be back"

There was a familiarity about this person Cagalli never met before-She just couldn't put her finger on it she was both scared, captivated, and intrigued all at the same time.

"I really should be getting back"'

"Please don't go! How about some hot tea to warm you up. My house is just a quarter of the ways walk up the beach and I live alone, so. You don't even have to go inside we can sit on the terrace and talk _a little_."

"I….."- Cagalli tried to think of something that wasn't rude. She wanted to go somewhere to get away from it all, but then she knew that danger comes in all shapes and sizes. She decided to follow her instincts and _her instincts _told her that there's more than meets the eye. Friend or foe she would soon find out! Whatever the case she couldn't shake this nagging feeling in her stomach –that somehow this woman might have something to do with that letter, but then again it just seemed too good to be true. And this woman Cagalli thought was so persuasive. How could she say no?

"Please, it would mean so much to me "

"Ok, but only for a little while"

Rose tea was the flavor of the evening. Not only was it fragrant, but it had an exceptional taste.

"This tea is delicious where did you get it!"

"It's imported"

"Imported!" Cagalli said, "From where?" she said with a puzzled look on her face

"From space. I'm a scientist so I've done a lot of experiments with cross pollination"

Cagalli assumed she meant plants. An hour into the evening she became a bit tired.

"I really need to go"

"Oh of course, let me help you up"

"Thank you _?"

"Via~ my name Is via"

Not soon after that was said, Cagalli collapsed. She wouldn't of known that name. She didn't go to the Mendel colony during the first war. Kira never spoke of what happened during his ordeal with mu and Rau le Cruisset, considering she had just lost her father during that time, he didn't feel that there was a need to mention the name of the person that brought them into this world-their was no need to mention "_**her name". **__The only other person he confided in about the ordeal was Lacus. Not even Athrun knew._

Back at the Attha estate everything was chaotic. It was 1A.M and Lady Cagalli wasn't even home yet. She didn't drive her normal vehicle and the guards failed to track her- this was highly unusual. Although reluctantly and risking his position the butler Ito made the decision to put his mistress life ahead of his personal well- being- Not wanting to alarm the public or alert the media. He decided it was time to contact Master Zala.

It was 3am when the call came through.

"Hello, May I speak to Master Athrun Zala"

"Ah Hello Ito! This is Kira we just came back from a drive, is their something wrong?"

"It's Lady Cagalli she hasn't –"

No sooner had Ito said that, Athrun walked into the room. The tension was so sharp you could cut it with a knife. Kira knew something was wrong and didn't want to alarm Athrun. Athrun had his suspicions but couldn't prove them true. Kira had to decide whether to tell Athrun or keep it from him, until there was more evidence of foul play. Athrun was the type to risk his life for the one he loves. Kira knew that all too well; he also knew that if he acted too quickly, and it turned out to be a misunderstanding, relationships of trust with one another could be broken. Kira sweated it out on the phone. Athrun just looked and stared at him puzzled. Cagalli is on the couch in the house of some woman named Via and the wedding is just four days away.

_**What to do Kira thought, what to do? **_


	3. Chapter 3: True or False

Chapter 3: True or False

As Kira stood pondering his thoughts with the phone in one hand and his eyes on Athrun the sounds of footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs.

"Welcome Home", said Lacus dressed in a pale blue skirt with a white v shaped blouse and brown sandals. Kira was now out of the flames and into the fire.

"Is that call for me"

Kira didn't know what to say, nor how to react. He stood frozen as Lacus came over and took the phone from his hand.

"Hello Cagalli", she said "I've decided that since you can't come to me I'm going to come to you. I'll see you soon"

As soon as Lacus hung up the phone she turned to Kira and said," Miss Cagalli is just fine" with a smile on her face. Kira felt relieved that his sister was home. As far as he knew she was safe and sound.

"Well I'm going to bed I have a long flight in the morning, Goodnight Athrun, Goodnight Kira", said Lacus as she kissed them both goodnight on the cheek. As she walked up the stairs to her room, she felt guilty about having lied to Kira. She didn't want him to know that she listened in on the call. Nor did she want him to know that Cagalli was still missing… It was deception at its best. And both of them played right into her hands. Now all she had to do was find what is lost.

"What was that all about? I mean if you don't mind me asking?" Asked Athrun.

"Ah, nothing." Kira never lied, so Athrun was certain he was telling the truth, and Kira told the truth as he knew it to be.

Butler Ito hung up the phone and exhaled an overwhelming sigh of relief. The pink princess was coming. He didn't question why she was coming and not Master Athrun or Kira, but discretion was of the utmost importance in this matter. Cagalli wasn't there and the last thing Orb need was an international incident.

Lacus wasted no time she was gone by 6am. She looked in on Kira before she left. After all they're not married and still slept in separate rooms. She left a note with one of the servants, which read," See you at the wedding and please take care of my dear pink Haro and don't forget to bring him back to me. Love Lacus" She was afraid that if she saw either of them before she left she would loose her nerve and want them to come with ~ but not this time.

It was 7am and her head was pounding as if she were hit by something, and for some odd reason her neck hurt. As she regained her senses she couldn't recognize the room that she was in. She began to panic and then that woman entered.

"Where am I… and what am I doing here! In this bed, and in these clothes! Just who in the **Hell** are you?", Cagalli was afraid, but she wasn't about to let it show.

"You collapsed last night ,so I brought you here , as far as your clothes my servant did that, and If you want to know where you are…Your in my home… in which you entered last night of your own free will"

"Do you know who I am!" Cagalli said as she climbed out of the bed, no sooner had she done so then she became ..light headed, and could hardly stand.

"Please sit down no one is going to hurt you here… I'll take you home"

"No, I….I.. can go myself"

"Please I insist, at least let my driver take you…Just let me get you some coffee and I'll summon renata to drive you home."

"O…k…" As cagalli dressed herself she tried to recall the events of last night..They were a bit foggy, but the only thing that she could remember was the taste of the rose tea. Soon after that thought there was a knock on the door. "Come in"

"I took the liberty of bringing you some coffee. I hope you don't mind it's a very special blend called _**ezelya**__" To Cagalli's chagrin she knew all too well the blend of Andys coffee. After she was finished. The mistress escorted cagalli to her limo. As Renata closed the door. She turned to speak to her employer,_

"_Are you sure you want to go through with this madame"_

"_Just take her home" Via forcefully replied_

"_Yes mistress_

_As the bell rang at the Attha estate no one could get the door fast enough. They were hoping that it was Lady Cagalli coming home, but instead it was actually Lacus arriving. The butler was in all but tears of despair, cagalli was the last of the Attha family line thus far and now she was nowhere to be found. He ordered the staff to get her luggage and bring it to one of the guest rooms. They were happy to ablidge. An hour after Lacus's arrival the front door opened and it was Lady Cagalli. She was stunned at the sight of Lacus. _

"_la..cu…s what are you doing here?" cagalli said with a shocked look on her face,_

"_I felt that you were in need of me so I came to see you. No one should be alone in a time like this."_

"_Like this?"_

"_Yes, you're about to become a bride"_

"_Thank you I'm so glad to see you! It's always great to see a kind face" as soon as cagalli said that she lost her footing, as Lacus reached out to help her maintain her stance she noticed a small red puncture wound at the base of her neck- It's as if she was pricked with something small. Cagalli being a natural wouldn't notice this sort of small detail. And lacus wasn't about to tell her._

"_Are you alright Miss Cagalli"_

"_I'm alright, I just felt a little dizzy that's all" Lacus didn't bother to ask her where she was last night. Noticing her state of being she didn't want to push her and she advised the butler to instruct the staff not to inquire ~she wanted it to be as if nothing had happened._

_Later in the evening Cagalli sought to engage in girl talk._

"_Girl talk?" said lacus "OH MY I've never done that before"_

"_We'll I've never had a sister before either, but I want you to be mine"_

"_What ever do you mean?" asked Lacus_

"_I want us to have a double wedding? I'm sure Athrun wouldn't mind and we would both be surrounded by friends, family and the people we love. Please Lacus it would mean so much to me."_

_Lacus didn't know whether to laugh or cry._

"_Of course I'd love to have a double wedding with you! I'll send for my wedding dress"_

"_WA, all ready- I mean you already have one?"_

"_Why yes I've been saving it for such an occasion, but Kira has never given it much thought"_

"_Don't worry about that I have a feeling that Athrun will take care of him…Um hum"_

_Lacus and Cagalli stayed up the entire night before deciding to retire to their rooms. A short time later lacus awoke a bit thirsty. As she walked by Cagalli's bedroom she kept hearing her mumble the name VIA in her sleep. Via lacus kept repeating to herself as she sat drinking a glass of cool water at the kitchen table. When all of a sudden she dropped the glass ~she could hardly breathe as she suddenly remembered the conversation she had with Kira above the Eternal during the first war. She remembered that as she calmed Kira from his tears she saw a picture in his room of this woman holding twin babies, and then he told her about his mother~_**Via, **but**_ how_**… Could Cagalli know her name? _Now she was faced with the thought of what to do~ 3 days before the wedding._


	4. Chapter 4: Circumstances

Chapter 4: Circumstances

After breakfast the two decided to go for a drive. It was the day of the Bachelor Party.

"I'll drive" Athrun said as he took the keys from Kira's hand.

"Huh…ah…OK …After all it's your day"

"I know, but I have someplace special that I'd like to go. You see I've kind of been waiting for the right time, and I wanted you to come with me"

"Sure Athrun, anything for a friend, and a special one at that"

After driving for 30 minutes they pulled up to what appeared to be a pitch black building, but it was actually an Officer's Club. High profile Military personnel can be regarded like rock stars in the plants, so it's important for them to have a building that they can fellowship in that's not easily noticeable by the public. Kira was very reserved, so athrun was certain that he wouldn't have known this place existed. At least that's what Athrun thought.

"Ah…. Athrun isn't it a little early to be drinking?"

"Who said anything about drinking? They have the best pool table here…I just couldn't resist" athrun looked like a kid going to a candy store.

"Well let's go! Me first!" Kira said as he raced for the door.

As soon as Athrun walked through the door he was blinded by the absence of light, and then he heard, "Surprise! Congratulations'!" he was shocked.

"I guess I was wrong about you!" athrun said as Kira laughed.

"You thought you were going to surprise me? Hum…I guess I was one step ahead of you"

"We'll see about that"

"What do you mean?"

"You'll just have to wait" said athrun as he snickered with a smile on his face. It was the bachelor party of a lifetime and everyone was there. Including Dearka, Ezak, Shin and even mwu and Andy made the trip from Orb. But the biggest surprise was yet to come. Towards the end of the evening Athrun decided to make a speech. *ting, ting, ting*was the sound the wine glass made as he tapped it with a spoon.

"Everyone may I have your attention please. I want to thank you all for coming and making this one of the most memorable days in my life. I'm very much honored to be in your presence this evening, however I'll be even more honored Kira- if you were to share this day with me"

Just as Athrun said that he pulled a ring box out of his jacket pocket, and gave it to kira.

"Huh…Oh, this is the ring that you want me to hold until the wedding day."

"No, you're wrong kira this is the ring you're going to give to lacus on your wedding day, or shall I say our double wedding"

Kira opened the box and could hardly control his emotions. "I thought-"

"That it was gone forever", replied athrun finishing his sentence.

It was the very ring that Lacus gave kira before he left for the battle at Jaheim Due during the first war. He thought the ring was forever lost when he was thrown from the freedom after he defeated Rau.

"How..uh ..Where did you find it?"

"Birdy found it,… while you were floating in space cagalli and I followed birdy to you, as we were impulsing our way through space something twinkled and birdy stopped. I grabbed hold to the ring. I was so overjoyed when I found you that I forgot all about it. I hope you can forgive me for that-I thought that this would be the perfect time to give it to you. And considering I went through a lot of trouble to keep it safe~ I hardly think you're in a position to refuse my request."

"You're the best friend I could have ever hoped for" said kira trying to hold back the tears

"Excuse me, but don't you mean bro-ther?"

Everyone laughed and then mwu said, "**Alright, the kids a man- drinks on me!"**

Kira couldn't stop staring at the ring and remembering everyone that didn't make it through the war.

"Is it OK to be this happy? I guess this is destiny huh" kira said looking somberly out of the window.

"Yes, I guess it is", said athrun "now let's go take mwu up on his offer and get that drink"

"You're still the same athrun"

"Since we were little kira"

"Ahhh what about lacus?"

"Don't worry if I know her as well as I think I do, cagalli's got it covered"

"You're probably right and by the way I'm driving back" urged kira

"No I'm driving. You need a drink" said Athrun

"Forget it guys I'm driving and you better drink up because I'm never babysitting again!"

"Thanks a lot EZAK"

"Yeah! Consider it a wedding present to you both!"

Back in Orb lacus and cagalli decided to visit kira's mother, while Lacus engaged in small talk Cagalli decided to go for a walk to get a breath of fresh air. At least that's what she said, but she had another objective in mind. She was going to try to find that house she was at the night before. After walking a quarter of a mile she saw Via overlooking the ocean.

"I wanted to say that I was sorry for the way I acted the other day and as a peace offering I wanted to invite you to my wedding"

"There's really no need to thank me. I should be thanking you for keeping me company and as far as your wedding I'd love to attend. It would be my pleasure."

"Thank you." Cagalli smiled "I'll see you there"

Off in the distance cagalli could here lacus calling for her.

"I'd better get back, don't forget please"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world" via said ever so cheerful

"Miss cagalli?" lacus asked, "where were you?"

"I ran into a friend, no worries I'm safe and sound"

"I wasn't _worried_ just concerned" said lacus with a suspicious look on her face

"Anyway, How about dessert? Kiras mom makes the best Apple PIE ever! It's unbelievable you have to try it"

"We'll ok let's go!" and off they went together.

Meanwhile on the other side of Orb there was an extremist faction concocting a sinister plan. Word had already leaked out prematurely about the double wedding which was to take place in 2 days time. In an old abandon warehouse two men stood talking to each other.

" Kyre what are we going to do with him" ,said kim talking about the man that they ambushed and then tied up in a chair.

"Don't worry about him we'll let him go after the wedding even if he talked no one would believe him. Who would believe a washed up old priest"

_**There was a reason why the twins were never supposed to meet. Their families went to great lengths to make sure they were kept apart. It was a twist of fate that they were reunited together. The wedding would be the first time that Kira and Cagalli would be together on the national stage. The first time the entire world would know that they were indeed brother and sister.**_


	5. Chapter 5: Preparations

Chapter 5: Preparations

There was only one day left before the wedding; keeping with traditions the grooms were not to see the brides before the wedding. Athrun and Kira decided to make the trip back to Orb together. They would be residing at kira's mother's house while cagalli and lacus stayed at the mansion until the blessed event. However there would be one big difference in todays events, lacus would be spending the day with Athrun and kira would be with cagalli. Making sure to avoid Lacus, kira picked up cagalli on his motorcycle from the front of the mansion while lacus met athrun in the rose garden in the back. As soon as kira arrived Cagalli hopped onto the back of his bike and held on to him for dear life as he drove off into the afternoon sun.

"Where are we going" she asked

"You'll see" replied kira

They drove around Orb until they reached the place where morganrate once stood~ the first morganrate was destroyed by lord uzumi in the battle between Orb and the alliance forces. Now all that exist is a flower garden maze memorial with an obelisk in the center with an epitaph that read, "For our children and our children's children may we never have to fight in meaningless battles unless it's to protect the ones we love." Cagalli hadn't returned here since the death of her father, and now she was returning with the gift that he had given her which was her brother

"Thank you kira" said cagalli trying to control the tears streaming down her face.

"I had the memorial commissioned with Mr. Kisaka's help. It's my wedding present to you. It's the least I can do. I'm sure that if lord uzumi was alive he wouldn't have wanted to miss seeing his little girl getting married."

"Hey! Who are you calling little! Keep that up and I'll forget that I'm a lady"

"uhhh, don't get upset I meant it as a compliment…"

"Sorry" cagalli looked embarrassed as if she'd just disrupted a pivotal moment.

"Cagalli" kira said as she looked up " I'm glad that I will be next to you tomorrow as we start out new lives together, but I don't want you to feel as if you can't come to me. We're a part of each and that will never change. You are my other half_. And Ahhh…_ I was never really good at planning things, well except for your abduction, which was all my idea, but you've given me something much more- You've helped to give me my bride..hum..You're the reason I'm so happy right now"

"I was just doing for you what you did for me, which was give me my life back."

Cagalli then put her head on kira's shoulder and they watched the sun set behind the obelisk as they stood standing together.

Meanwhile at the Attha's mansion lacus and Athrun were strolling through the rose garden.

"Who would of thought that you'd be marrying my best friend." Said athrun with a kinky grin on his face

"Whatever do you mean athrun. I told you that I was fond of him"

"You know lacus, Cagalli and I tried to think of a million different ways to tie you two together and our plan couldn't have worked out any better. Thank you lacus …"

"For what-?"

"For making me a better man. If things hadn't turned out the way that they did, if Kira and I weren't enemies, You wouldn't of been there to guide me to the right path."

"You always knew which path to take athrun, I just helped brighten your way."

"You're the only thing my father ever did right, and for that I have to thank him."

"Perhaps Athrun" Lacus said as she took his hand "Our meeting was destiny"

"You're probably right" said Athrun. As the sun set in the distance, they hugged each other as if it were the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.

It was evening when cagalli returned to the mansion. Athrun had already returned to the yamato residence and kira was speeding off home on his bike. As she walked through the front door lacus was there to greet her along with the staff. The staff had already moved athruns belongings into the residence. Tonight was going to be a girl's night home before the nuptials. For tomorrow the entire world would be watching.

As cagalli sat in her room drinking some tea there was a knock on her door *tap, tap*

"Ms. Cagalli…may I come in?"

"Of course Lacus and its just cagalli, were going to be sisters remember. You might as well get use to it."

"I guess your right" no sooner had lacus said that she noticed the picture of the twins with their mother on the dresser.

"That's my mother, but I don't know her name. I didn't have time to ask my father before he-"

"It's alright, let's not have such sad memories. Tomorrow is going to be a perfect day and we're going to be surrounded by all the people that we love"

Lacus and cagalli spent the rest of the evening talking before retiring to bed. Cagalli placed the picture of her mother and brother by her bedside along with her father. It's as if she thought that they would bless her while she was sleeping. Meanwhile the city was preparing for tomorrows festivities it was chaotic with all the traffic bustling around the city. The wedding was going to take place at the same alter where cagalli was abducted some years earlier for many reasons. One inparticular was that not many people could gain easy access to the princesses because they would have to travel a long stairway to get to the altar, which was heavily, guarded by both Orb and the Plants top military elite. Seating would be invitation only, and the wedding was going to be broadcast to every country, nation and colony in both space and on earth. But while these preparations were underway a more sinister being was arriving in town Azriel Jr. . _What would tomorrow bring…..more less what were his intentions.._


	6. Chapter 6: Joy of a Lifetime

Chapter 6: Joy of a lifetime

"Cagalli it's time to go" that was what she heard as she saw a woman hold out her hand to a 3 year old child. "Its time to go or we're going to be late."

"Yes mother I'm coming, I'm coming" then she was knocked down on the ground.

"Come on it's time to go! We're going to be late" Cagalli became startled only to open her eyes to see Lacus standing over her with a pillow.

"We're going to be late Athrun isn't going to wait forever and kira will get tired and just go home, and I'll be left at the altar all by myself, because you'll still be sleeping!" said lacus pouting as she clung to a pillow in her hand. Just as she raised her hand again and hit cagalli feathers flew all over the place.

"Why you!" Then cagalli grabbed a pillow and started hitting Lacus, before long the room was covered in feathers, and giggles could be heard throughout the corridors of the mansion.

"Alright you two" said Merna barging into the room. After this month I am retiring let's try to be good until then. No sooner had she said that a group of waiters brought in plates of fresh fruit and fruit juice freshly squeezed with oranges from the garden. The girls were still in their night gowns as they sat down to have their breakfast.

"The most exciting part about today is we'll finally get to be sisters" said lacus as she took a sip of juice.

"Here's to celebrating our life as sisters"

"I'll drink to that." Said lacus. And then they both started to laugh.

It was 9am Lacus was the first to be escorted down the hall by a maid into an Arabic style bath filled with red rose petals. While cagalli was escorted to a roman style bath filled with white rose petals. They were both later massaged down with light fragrant rose oils. So as to not get the oils onto their dresses. Each of them had at least five attendants helping them to dress at all times. Lacus was dressed in a white strapless wedding gown with lining of pink satin. The front of the dress stopped just below the knee, but the back of the dress had a detachable train. Her hair was spiral curled on this day and adorned with pink Amaryllis flowers which is a flower that means splendid beauty. This particular flower was chosen to give her the mature appearance of a young woman in her twenties symbolizing her growth in mind, body and spirit. She would not where a veil on this day for she wanted to see only the eyes of her lover with nothing in between to create a moments distance. Her neckline was enhanced by a single necklace given to her by cagalli as a wedding present. It carried the same stone that was in the engagement ring that cagalli wore on her finger from Athrun. Her arms would be covered by a single chiffon shawl which could be worked about her arms through and through. Her shoes were adorned with pink amethyst crystals that could easily be noticed in its sparkling splendor from several feet away, and her ears sparkled with the same crystals within her shoes. She felt like a true princess, as she looked in the mirror, but tears streamed down her face as she thought of her father whom she wished was here with her today. However she took comfort in the realization that her soon to be husband was an admiral man that her father ultimately approved of before he died, as long as she could remember that she was in a peaceful place in her heart.

A few doors down the hall Cagalli was admiring her dress in the elongated mirror that stood in her room she too wore a strapless gown only it had a sheer train that attached to the waist line of her dress with white roses died green to match the color of earth, and her hair was pinned up with green carnations a flower which means pride and beauty. She wore pumps made of glass to protect her delicate feet and a simple gold necklace enhanced by a small emerald crystal given to her by her father on her 18th birthday. She wore earrings of the same jewel given to her by Athrun on her 20th birthday. Unlike lacus she didn't wear a chiffon shawl but she wore long satin gloves that stopped short of her elbow. She too decided not to wear a veil; as she wanted nothing to separate her from Athrun's glistening green eyes. After one last look in the mirror she was startled by a knock on her room door.

"Lady cagalli, it's time" said one of the attendants. She took one last look at the picture of her father and mother smiled and then left the room.

Lacus and Cagalli felt the need to be close to the people, so they agreed to ride in a glass top limo so that everyone can share in the joy of the festivities. The streets were lined with the city's patrons and people from all over the world as they gathered to see their princesses. There was so much press that the country's military was out in force, but not for oppression, but for protection. The princess waved tirelessly and endlessly to the people until they reached their destination. Once the limo stopped and they stepped out of the vehicle the footmen presented them with their bouquets filled with the same flowers that adorned their hair. Only they also kept with the tradition of something old which would have been their fiancés for their relationships were long lasting, The something borrowed was the limo they had just rode in , the something new were their futures and last but not least was the something blue. In the center of their bouquets stood a very special blue rose and inside the rose was a ring that each of them had custom made for their loved one. It was now time to go the distance.

As they walked down the aisle they passed by all their families' friends and loved ones, even Sigh was in attendance and miriallia, reporting of course. As she had exclusive access to the wedding of the century. As they walked together between the aisle mwu and murru were to cagalli's right and Andy was to lacus's left. There was a wide open space between the guest and the stairway that led to the altar. To escort them across this space were dearka and ezak. Dearka took cagalli's left hand and ezak took lacus's right on the right side of cagalli stood 3 Orb murasames and on the left side of lacus stood 3 plant Saviors. Once they reached the foot way of the stairs Dearka and Ezak bowed and then it was up to them to climb the way alone. Half way to the top they could see reverend malkio , and an Orb Haumean priest and his assistant. As they climbed further to the top of the stairway they saw the ones who were to be part of their lives. Athrun was dressed in a white suit with gold trim outlining the edges with white shoes to match. It was especially designed in the plants to suit his personality. When cagalli saw him she saw nothing else, she was however relieved that he didn't where his military uniform or a traditional suit it would of just reaped of yuna if he wore something like that. Lacus on the other hand knew that whatever kira wore was defiantly going to be his own style. Like athrun he also wore a white suit, but it was lined with silver trim, and naturally he wore white shoes instead of black. When they finally made it to the top Athrun and Kira both reached out their hands to help them up the last step and then the two couples turned and stared at each other as if they were the only people on earth before turning around and facing the priest.

"We are gathered here today to join these men and these women in matrimony and on a path toward a complete future." Stated reverend malkio "Lacus and Kira please join hands", reverend malkio then proceeded to wrap from Kiras hand to Lacuses hand a silver string shaped much like a ribbon

"I bind you two as you take your vows with this silver string of fate. May your two futures be combined for eternity." Then reverend malkio walked over to Athrun and cagalli,

"Athrun and Cagalli please join hands" They joined hands" I bind you to each other with this gold string of fate. May your destines never waver for all eternity" The Haumean priest then started the procession,

"Do you Kira Yamato take lacus Clyne to be your lawful wedded wife in sickness and in health forever and ever -till death do you part?" and then he asked the same of Lacus. In concert they both said "I do" and then he said "Do you Athrun Zala take Cagalli Yula ATTha to be your lawfully wedded wife in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live till death do you part?" and then he also asked the same of Cagalli. Athrun then turned beet red as he looked at cagalli he thought it's finally happening and couldn't get it out of his mouth fast enough as they both said together "I do" reverend malkio then said, "the exchange of rings please. Kira then gave lacus the ring that athrun had presented to him at the party. As he gently placed it on her finger, Lacus could hardly control her tears, because even though it was now adorned with white diamonds she instantaneously recognized the ring. She then reached inside her bouquet and placed a similar ring on kira's finger much like the one she gave him aboard the eternal. When it was time for Athrun to put his ring on cagalli's finger he surprised everyone and knelt down on one knee,

"This is to make up for not giving you the engagement ring properly the first time" he said this with a blushing look on his face. The ring he gave her was a simple gold one with one single imperial topaz gem to match the color of her eyes. The ring that cagalli gave him taken straight from her bouqet was gold adorned with tiny emerald stones around the sides to match the color of his eyes. After the exchange reverend Malkio said, "by the power vested in me and the authority of the plants" and the haumean priest said. "and the goddess of haumea" They both simultaneously said, "we now pronounce you husband and wife ,you both may kiss your bride"

At the sound of that KIra kissed Lacus and it seemed like they never came up for air and as Athrun kissed Cagalli an uproar of happiness could be heard for miles. But as athrun and cagalli were kissing cagalli opened her eyes long enough to notice the assistant priest open his haumean book and pull out a gun. She was the only one who saw it- It's as if everything was happening in slow motion. He was standing a short distance from Kira and Lacus; there was just seconds to act.

Before the assistant priest could say "for the preservation of our pure and blue earth"

Cagalli quickly pushed Athrun aside and before he could realize what had happened she put herself in between kira and the gunman shielding him with her body and then the gun fired.

"I got him" the gunman said "I got him, dammit I missed" The gunman then took his own life, so as not to be interrogated. Cagalli turned around looked at kira and said, "I was finally able to protect you" before collapsing forward into his arms. Kira could hardly control his feelings before screaming

"NO! At the top of his lungs" Lacus just fell to her knees crying unable to speak.

"Why Cagalli! Why didn't you scream or yell?" said kira crying uncontrollably

"No time…." Cagalli could hardly speak, because she was bleeding so much from her side "I lost my father and I didn't want to be alone without my brother" she then reached for kira's face with her bloodied left hand and as she held his cheek in her hand she slowly turned her head to the right. What she saw was Via sitting behind Kira's mother who was crying profusely …Cagalli finally realized whom she was for the first time as she visualized the picture of her mother in her room…with her last strength cagalli uttered, "Mother" before losing consciousness. Kira looked back and thought she was talking about his mother, because Via was no longer there. Cagalli had managed to shove Athrun down two steps pushing him out of hind sight" Athrun then managed to climb the steps still unable to comprehend what just happened. He saw Cagalli's lifeless bloodied body with the flowers thrown from her hair in Kira's arms. Kira called for athrun,

"Athrun hurry!" He said "Athrun was paralyzed with disbelief, so kira ran over shook him and then slapped him.

"Dammit listen to me!" said Kira "Cagalli is not dead yet! She's just lost consciousness, but she will be if I don't have your help. I'll need you to cover her wound with your hand and apply pressure. I'll be right back!" Kira then ran not noticing anything or anyone around him. He ran to a murasame got in, and upgraded the systems to accommodate that of a coordinator and then knelt the machine down with its hand extended. Athrun then carried Cagallis lifeless body covered in blood to the murasame. He climbed on its hand and helped kira place her into the cockpit. Kira then told Athrun to take care of lacus. It seemed like hours, but all of this happened within minutes. Kira took off and decided to take cagalli to a military hospital the main reason being security the second reason being distance.

"Hang in their Cagalli" said kira with an urgent fervor in his voice" I won't loose you like this! I'm not going to let you die" Cagalli then faintly uttered the word "Athrun". She didn't know that Athrun was in one of the savior Gundams following right behind them_.. All kira could think about was that he had to make it to the hospital… All Athrun could think was I can't loose her again…, __**and lacus just couldn't think at all…. **_


	7. Chapter 7: Touch and Go

**Chapter 7: Touch and Go**

Kira was flying as fast as he could trying to get to morganrate which had its own indoor hospital, when he encountered a little resistance from an Orb murasame fleet.

"Halt this is a restricted area. You are not authorized entry into the airspace over this facility. No, flight plan has been filed for your aircraft sequence. If you do not land you will be shot down." Kira didn't want to fight the orb fleet, but he didn't have time to land he was still not yet close enough to the hospital. The reason he took a murasame was because he thought that he could gain easy entry without intervention. He discovered quickly that it was not the case. He thought that If Cagalli was still able to speak he wouldn't have any difficulty, but she was rapidly slipping away, and the more he thought about it, the more terrified he became of losing her _**and**_ the more reality set in. He also knew that Cagalli would never forgive him if he fought against an Orb fleet, so he decided to open a communication channel.

"This is Kira Yamato I need to fly into your airspace, Cagalli is injured and she needs immediate medical attention."

"Just what are you talking about? There's been no report of the representative being injured this must be a plot to attack our facility. **LAND NOW or we will engage!** **This is your** **FINAL WARNING**! " Kira's teeth cringed, "**Dammit!**" was what he said when he heard a faint voice no louder than a whisper.

"Kira….. " was what he heard as he stared down at Cagalli in his arms barley able to cling onto him, "Cagalli don't …." Kira said impatiently trying to convince her to not speak wanting her to save her strength and then he noticed her tears.

" Please…. Take care of …Athrun…..Lacus….Sorry" That was all Cagalli could say before she became motionless yet again. Only this time Kira began to feel as if she were slipping away forever. He could hardly see through his tears, anger and despair when he said, "_I'm sorry Cagalli_, _I know what I must do_" and then he slipped into seed mode clipped all the wings of the entire ORB murasame fleet in under a minute, records time even for him. Every action after that became instinctive he then landed on the roof of morganrate, and effortlessly carried Cagalli's body into the facility. He kept thinking that Morganrate's medical facility had some of the best doctors in the world, he just knew they'd be able to save her,

"Quickly! I need a doctor!" Chief Erica Simmons heard of the commotion and went to see if the pilot claiming to be Kira Yamato was indeed him. Instead what she saw was a ghastly scene. Kira's white suit was covered in blood still dripping onto his shoes, and it looked as if he were the one injured. But Erica quickly noticed that was not the case! For In his arms she saw Lady Cagalli's blood soaked hair, and she was wearing what now appeared to be a dark red wedding dress. Barely clinging to life, in fact she may have already been dead. After a gurney took Cagalli away Erica ran over to Kira to ask him what happened unable to stand he _collapsed_.

It was dark and he couldn't see anything all he could hear was the sound of tears and then he heard a gunshot.

"Lacus! " Screamed Kira as he sat up from the hospital bed.

"I'm right here" she said. Lacus was sitting in a chair by his bedside holding his hand "I had this strangest dream of gunfire and then I heard someone crying" while he was talking about his dream he noticed that lacus squeezed his hand tighter, and her head was hung to the point where he couldn't see her face. She had detached the train of her wedding dress which doubled as an elongated coat so he couldn't see her dress. When all of a sudden he noticed a whimpering sound echoing beneath her breath.

"Ah… Lacus what's wrong… I mean why are you crying."

"Oh kira", she said unable to fight back the tears.. "Cagalli…" At that moment He had a flashback of everything that happened earlier. He thought he must have gone into shock and forgot about the one person in his life who meant the world to him next to his wife. He had this look of bewilderment on his face as he bent over in his bed and started to cry. Lacus knew that no matter what she said he would be inconsolable at this point and he was in no condition to comfort her. A few moments later Athrun entered. Kira tried to regain his composure,

"Athrun I..I.."…

"It's alright kira Lacus filled me in on the details of everything that happened. It's not your fault please don't blame yourself. After all, you did try to save her….ummmm….. I know your probably wondering what happened while you were unconscious. Cagalli still hasn't come out of surgery yet. I keep telling myself if only _**I**_ had of noticed the gun… I probably could have done something. I promised her that I would protect her and I couldn't even do that- all I could do was stand and watch. If she dies I might as well go with her, because….." Athrun shrugged as tears started to fill and flow from his eyes" I don't think that I could go on without her. When she is the reason I'm here today."

"It's alright athrun, There's no point in worrying about it now…We can't change the past …, but we can **deal** with the future" Just as kira said that, -The doctor entered.

"Mr. Zala, I believe you're her husband…Ah … can we talk?"

"It's alright doctor, Kira's her brother and we're all family_..now_"

"Very well then, She must of died and come back at least 3 times on the operating table.. She has a very strong will to live.. But I'm afraid she's lost a lot of blood. The bullet did a lot of damage to her internal organs ..It's a miracle that she's alive this long. However there is a problem. Without a blood transfusion I wouldn't expect her to make it through the night… It might be a good time to gather the family and….."

"Take mine"

"What!" said the doctor

"I said take mine", repeated Athrun "Take it all if it'll save her life, because I don't think I can live without her"..

"Athrun?" said Lacus very complacently,

"That's a very nice jester Mr. Zala, but I'm afraid it's not that simple. You're not her type"

At that instant Athrun grabbed hold of the doctor and held him against the wall "_**What do you mean I'm not her type were married!**_" Kira sprung from his bed and grabbed Athrun

"Let him go Athrun, He's not the one responsible for this! Please let him finish"

"huh…Yea your right.., sorry about that doctor, I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright Mr. Zala I can't imagine what you're going through at this moment. Now back to what I was saying. You're not her blood type and we don't have any type A natural blood in the hospital. Although we have some being flown in I'm afraid that she might not survive until then"

"Then take my blood!" said kira "Cagalli is my sister and we are twins and not to mention we share the same blood type"

"Yes,….That may be true, but you're a coordinator and she is a natural…such a thing has never been done let alone attempted before… and she could die if her body rejects it..."

"The way I see it Sir,….She'll be dead if we don't, and If that happens I could never forgive you knowing that you could of saved her"

"Yes…but..uh …we'll need consent"

"As her husband" said Athrun with a very stern look on his face "You **have my consent!**"

_A short time later Cagalli was laying in one hospital bed hooked up to life support and Kira was lying next to her in the other with one line coming from his arm and going into hers. Lacus was holding on to his other hand praying, wishing, and hoping for Cagalli's survival. Athrun was clamoring onto Cagalli's free hand crying, raising her hand up to his cheek, kissing it and swearing to never leave her side __**over and over again**__. _


	8. Chapter 8: The Longest Night

**Chapter 8: The Longest Night**

At some point during the evening one of the nurses came in and removed the tube linking the two siblings together. No matter how short the day may have seemed, there was no doubt that it was going to be the longest night of their lives…

Lacus fell asleep at Kira's side and Athrun fell asleep at Cagalli's bedside holding her hand ever so relaxed and gentle but firm, as if he thought that she were going to be taken away from him without a moment's notice. Having wept _**all night long **_His face was still flushed from his tears, and then** it **happened. He thought he was dreaming at first when he felt this light pressure on his head as if someone was playing with his hair. Then he gradually opened his eyes to the familiar touch of _**her**_ hand. He saw that she was still unable to breathe on her own, but he wanted to preserve _this feeling_, so he dared not move. He closed his eyes for an instant, only to open them again with hers staring straight into his~ It was the longest moment of his life. As she tried to smile she let out a _gasp_, presuming she was in pain he squeezed her hand ever so softly, if only to remind her that he was right there. Overcome with emotion she let out a silent cry of only a multitude of tears. When she tried to speak for the first time, to call out the name of her true love, "Ath…run" , she said as her mask began to fill with blood, terrified that he was losing her Athrun called out to Kira. He was afraid that her body was rejecting the transfusion, and that he was going to be subjected to watching her die. He never felt more helpless than he did nearly 10 years ago. Kira rushed over to her beside and Lacus went to find a doctor. Athrun dropped the railing from her bed, and Held her in his arms begging, and pleading with her not to leave him alone. He brushed the hair from her face caressed her cheek, and told her to remember that the hardest battle was to keep living and he would be her shield protecting her now and always. She cried and held on to him with what little strength she had. Grabbing his shirt she removed her mask and said,

"I love you". And then she went silent. Believing she was dead Athrun buried his head in her chest and then the doctor came in,

"Mr. Zala please let her go."

"I'm not leaving her I promised, It's my fault- ", said Athrun becoming irrational

"Mr. Zala **please** lay her down, I can't do my job if you don't" said the doctor

"Don't touch my wife!" yelled Athrun .

"Athrun, please….Just as much as she is your wife….She is still my sister. I'm asking you to please lay her down"

"Kira—" said Athrun with lost eyes. "Ok but I'm not letting go of her hand"

"Thank you Mr. Yamato" said the doctor as he checked her pulse, pupil dilation, temperature and heart rhythm. "The worst has passed she's just resting, but I must advise you Mr. Zala to get some rest as well. You'll be of more use to her that way"

"He's right Athrun! Why don't you go with Lacus. I'll watch over her you can trust that she's in good hands" , said kira

"huh,…yea ok.." , said Athrun reluctantly. Lacus convinced him to go home and change. Not only did she want to bring Kira a change of clothes she didn't want cagalli to wake up and notice the blood stains still on Athrun's suit. Once they arrived at the mansion a bewildered Athrun staggered to the shower. While in the shower all he could think about was becoming stronger for Cagalli's sake, and once she was all better he was going to make the mastermind behind the assassination attempt pay for what he's done. While he was in the shower Lacus was in the guest room putting together a change of clothes for Kira when it dawned on her that Cagalli still had the prick on the back of her neck. She thought that it should have healed by now, but she saw it again while Athrun was holding her, However Lacus decided to keep this tidbit of information to herself until she knew more. When she went to go look for athrun she noticed that he was resting in one of the guest rooms. When she inquired with one of the servants as to why Athrun chose that room.

Butler Ito replied, "Master Athrun said that he didn't want to sleep in the master bedroom until Lady Cagalli had returned home"

"I understand ",said lacus. But deep down inside she couldn't shake the feeling that something far more sinister was in the works, and she aimed to find out what it was..

Back at morganrate Kira was watching over cagalli. While she was sleeping a nurse came into the room wearing a mask. He assumed she wore the mask to protect the patient from germs. She had a familiar aura about her as if there were something about her eyes, but he just couldn't place it, after all, He'd never seen her before. He noticed her name tag and it said, "V. Hibiki RN" Kira didn't make the connection.

"Mr. Yamato there is a call for you at the front desk. It appears to be urgent" said the nurse. He didn't want to leave cagalli, but considering all that had happened he was worried about Lacus. There wasn't a phone in the room for him to take the call, because they didn't want anyone disturbing her recovery. What to do he thought…..

"If you're worried about the patient I have to take her vitals, I'll stay with her until you return" said the nurse. Feeling confident that she wasn't in any danger, Kira ran to take the call. Oddly enough when he reached the nurses' station, the nurse on duty said that there was a call, but that the person hung up. She couldn't remember the callers name so kira thought nothing of it. When Kira returned to the room after 20 minutes he found Nurse V. Hibiki sitting in a chair reading to cagalli.

"She's a strong girl her vitals are very strong. Don't worry I think that she is going to be just fine" said the nurse.

"Thank you", replied Kira.

"My pleasure have a nice night" , as soon as the nurse left the room she discarded her mask on the way out the door, and as she was walking into the elevator Lacus and Athrun were exiting it.

"How is she doing?" asked Athrun as he entered the room.

"Hum..still no change she's been sleeping the entire time you were gone" exclaimed Kira

"That's great" replied Athrun "It was a rough night"

"Kira I brought you a change of clothes"

"Thanks Lacus, I'll go change into them right now" said kira with a smile on his face. While kira was gone Lacus sat on one side of the bed and Athrun on the other. Ten minutes later while athrun was admiring the garden outside her room window. He could hardly believe what he was hearing when he heard Cagalli say, " Ath..run" It was sweet music to his ears. He quickly ran to her bedside and said, "yea, I'm here" his smile couldn't be any brighter, and to his surprise she sat up and hugged him. When she did that, Lacus couldn't believe her eyes. The puncture that was their this morning on the back of her neck was gone! Even more puzzling cagalli went from near death to feeling better. As happy as she wanted to be something was totally wrong! Even worse she couldn't share her suspicions with anyone. Lacus decided to play along until she knew what or whom she was dealing with…. _Athrun was as happy as he could be, Kira was in another room showering and changing his clothes not aware of his sisters slight recovery, and on a plane not far off the coast of Orb was a girl lying down in a bed hooked up to an IV, and a woman in a nurses uniform with a name tag that read __"V. Hibiki RN" stroking her hair saying,"__**You're going to be ok, because I'm going to take good care of you**__"_

'


	9. Chapter 9: I'll Take Care of You

_**Chapter 9: I'll Take Care of You**_

She was in and out of consciousness, and the people and events around her appeared hazy, her hearing was fine, but her thoughts were in cohesive. She felt a plane land and remembered being rushed down an empty hallway with no one there to greet her. Once her gurney finally came to a halt in a solitary room completely white she fell asleep again- That is until she heard voices.

"How long has it been since the transfusion" said a strange male voice she'd never heard before.

"Nearly 48 hrs. They took blood at the hospital; it's only a matter of time before they discover the truth. We don't have much time maybe a week at the most."

"You know, you saved her life. It would have only been a matter of time before they finished her off."

"I know I'm confident that Kira will be safe for now. But right now she's more of a target than he is, at least for the moment. I tested her blood earlier in the week; the genetic markers were present and beginning to show. I injected her with a masking agent at the base of her neck that should buy us some time."

"I know Via, but what about the letter?"

"I found her first. I can only hope that its' been destroyed. The only person it would have any meaning to is Kira, we should be safe for now. My children are not pawns in some game to be played. I only hope it's not too late"

Her eyes barely parting she saw a man and a woman in a white lab coat, as she stirred, the woman looked her way; she could hardly make out her face, but knew her eyes.

"Mother?" was the word that exited her lips. She looked over at the girl lying on the bed.

"_**Yes**_, it's me She said as tears streamed down her face" I'm here and nothing is going to happen to you, because I'm going to take care of you and you're going to be_** just**_ fine. You have an internal infection, so for now you must sleep"

"_**Yes rest", said the girl as she tilted her head to the side and fell asleep. **_

It had been two days since Cagalli returned home from the hospital, and she felt wonderful. It appeared as though she had never been shot. On this particular evening Athrun and Cagalli were in the living room sitting on the couch in front of a well lit fireplace with the lights turned off. All he wanted to hear was the sound of her breathing.

"Athrun"

"Yes Cagalli?"

"Um…When am I going to finally get to sleep in the same bed as my husband?"

"As soon as your wounds heal, the doctor says you need to take it easy. It's only been two days; I'm surprised you have so much energy." Said Athrun gratefully.

"Well…uh…it must have been all of kira's grade A+ blood." Athurn looked at her perplexed "Get it …A+….bl..oo…d iiiiiiii guess it wasn't funny." Cagalli said as she peered down at the floor.

"No it **was** funny." said Athrun more serious than usual "But I neither want to joke or take chances with your life. I could have lost you and **that's** _**not**_ funny! "Athrun had a stern look on his face and Cagalli looked depressed. He then tilted her chin toward his with his index finger , and was centimeters from kissing her lips when he said "As soon as the doctor gives you a clean bill of health we can do whatever you want, until then I'm going to be an angel with wings and you're going to be my halo"

"That's just not fair!" said Cagalli as she crossed her arms and pouted.  
"If you're going to pout then you might as well lie in my arms and do it" Athrun said happily

"You'll hear no argument from me" said Cagalli smiling ever so shrewd.

"So much for lovers' quarrels" said Athrun, Holding her as she lay in his arms he gently kissed the top of her head as if he thought she might break. As they comforted one another by the fireplace, they didn't notice Lacus around the corner. She had been watching them the entire time, as she turned to walk down the hallway she crossed paths with Kira.

"_**Kira**_ we need to talk?" she said stunned as if she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"What's on your mind Lacus?" said Kira as they walked out onto the balcony. While talking Kira stood behind lacus placing his arms around hers holding them, so that she wouldn't sneak away. As they gazed up at the stars they felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

"I've been thinking that perhaps we should take a vacation and stay in Orb for a while. Everyone did a good job covering up the shooting seeming as the last image everyone in the universe saw was of us kissing, but I'm concerned about Cagalli" said a worried lacus staring into Kira's eyes

"Yes, I know she seems to of healed quickly"

"Yes, but that's on the outside. It's the inside I'm worried about and she is my sister..I…I need to be here for her.. "Lacus looked as if she needed to convince kira to say yes, but what she didn't realize was that kira was looking for her to ask the exact _**same thing…. It just so happened that she beat him to it first. Vindication he thought for all the times he had to go along with her outrageous plans when he really didn't want to…, but he couldn't tell her that~ Kira smiled as if he'd won a war and said,**_

"I understand, I'll tell Ezak to tell everyone in the plants that we're going to take an extended vacation, and not to worry. After all, It wouldn't seem out of the ordinary since we _**are**_ supposed to be on our honeymoon. Besides I'm not entirely convinced that Cagalli is out of danger yet and I want to explore that incident a little bit more. That bullet was intended for me and I need to know why. Right now Ms. murrue and commander walfeld are using their contacts to dig up whatever information they can, but there is no reason why we can't make the best of a bad situation" kira grinned with an semi angelic look on his face.

"Thank you Kira" Lacus turned around to hug him. But the truth of the matter was she wanted to keep an eye on Cagalli. If her suspicions were correct the two men she loved most in her life could be in danger and she wasn't about to let that opportunity present itself.

The next day Kira decided that he wanted to take Cagalli out for some fresh air. As sad as Athrun was to see her leave his side, he was a little bit relieved, because he wanted to look over their weddings guest list to see if he could come across any clues that could steer him to the assassin. Everyday lost he thought is a day that the mastermind gets away. Kira took cagalli to Mr. Walfeld's coffee shop. Forewarned of their visit in advance, he closed up shop for the afternoon and prepared a special lunch for them along with his famous coffee blend.

"Sorry to bring you in the back cagalli, but I thought you'd want to avoid the reporters"

"No problem Andy…uh I mean Mr. walfeld" Kira and Andy thought nothing of her comment. "So what's for lunch today!" replied cagalli.

"Just what the doctor ordered. Local eats mcnair kabobs all the way, fixed just the way you like it"

"Fantastic ! thanks..! I can't wait." cagalli was excited. Andy took a bite of his and ate it as it was the best food in the world. Kira took a bite of his and said " Mr. Walfeld you remembered!"

"Of course! I never forget a battle kid! You learn from your mistakes" Cagalli took a bite of hers and began to gag "UHH what's wrong cagalli are you alright!"

"I'm ok" she replied, " but who eats chili sauce on something like this everyone knows your suppose to eat kabobs with yogurt sauce! Are you trying to kill me or something!" Andy and kira were surprised, "but you love chili sauce on your kabobs? Cagalli" said Andy "we'll I've changed she said," They both looked perplexed.

"And by the way you two I don't like coffee nor tea" They were both stunned. This was not like the person they both knew and loved for so many years, something was going on but they couldn't put a finger on it, so they assumed she was just stressed out with everything that's happened. A short time later after kira pulled up to the house. Cagalli ran out of the car and up to her room and slammed the door. Athrun was sitting at the dining room table with Shin discussing some issues. As kira walked past the room where athrun and shin were sitting, Athrun asked,

"How'd it go? She seems to be upset about something the way she's slamming doors."

"Ahhh ok…it's ..just that-" Just as kira was about to go into further detail the house phone rang.

"I'll get that" said Kira "Hello?"

"I'll go check on her" said Athrun

"No Athrun let me, sometimes you can open up more if you talk to someone not closely related to the situation" Athrun smiled at shin he's finally grown up he thought.

"Ok then I guess I won't stand in your way then" As Shin excused himself to go talk to cagalli

Kira was on the phone.

"Yes, I understand tomorrow then. I'll be there" said kira

"What was that all about?" asked Athrun.

"Ahh It was lacus she wanted me to meet her somewhere tomorrow." Athrun just looked at Kira. Considering he just got married he didn't feel a need to pry any further and Kira let out a sigh of relief, he's not use to lying to his best friend. It wasn't Lacus that he had to meet tomorrow it was the doctor who treated Cagalli. Kira had never been more worried about meeting someone than he was right now.

As Shin neared Cagalli's room he noticed that her door didn't completely close all the way. He couldn't resist the temptation of looking through the crack, but nothing could prepare him for what he saw. He thought he'd never see **those** **again** –_Those blue and white pills_. The most shocking revelation of all he never thought he'd see _**her**_ taking them. And then she peered in his direction. Not knowing if she saw him or not all he could do was stand there like a stone statue …_**His past had come back to haunt him**_….


	10. Chapter 10: Shattered Images

Chapter 10: _Shattered Images_

Shin stood still frozen in time as he watched Cagalli open the door.

"Can I help you?", she said.

Shin was trying to regain his composure appearing not to look guilty of performing a lewd lascivious act.

"I saw that you were upset so I came to see if you were alright."

"**I'm fine** ", she said with such a stern fervor in her voice and an absent look on her face

"Thanks for asking"

"**Look** …ah ..I know that we` _haven't_ had the greatest relationship and we **haven't** exactly been the best of friends.. well..um …if their's anything that you want to talk about, anything at all, I have a good ear…?" said shin smiling, looking a bit apprehensive, wondering if she would slug him at any moment.

"_Ear for what_?"

"For listening of course", said shin stuttering as he spoke those words

"Look I don't need your sentiments, I just need you to go away. I'm not trying to be mean or even rude, or _**anything **_it's just that I'm tired"

"Alright get some rest please **don't let ME stand in your way!" **

And then she slammed the door. On her side of the door she slid down against it, and then crawled into the bed aching from the sharp pain that sometimes dwelled inside her head. On the other side of the door stood a still stunned Shin trying to push out of his mind all that he had seen and heard, but it _**just**_ wasn't working. So, he decided that he needed to take in a breath of fresh air and clear his head. After walking thoughtlessly down the long hallway he found himself standing on the balcony, and as he glared over to his immediate left he saw lacus standing there lost in thought,

"Shin" she said "you have such a sad look on your face what's wrong?"

"Hum ..uh …nothing_, well _do you ever think you know someone, **and** just when think you have them figured out they turn out to be someone else?."

"I wish I could say that I haven't , but just when I've thought that I've seen it all, _some_ things still never cease to amaze me" Shin starred at her blindly and then looked outward over the balcony into the wide open space above the rose garden. He thought about telling lacus what he'd seen, but what if the pills were just pills such as medicine and just looked like the ones that Ray used to take. Then what if he was wrong and she was an imposter. He became frightened at the thought and began to quiver. He had to return to the plants, but if he left and his suspicions materialized, everyone could be in danger. His mind became wrapped in worry as he became overwhelmed with anxiety. The thoughts in his head had begun to spin out of control when he turned toward her and yelled, "Lacus~!"

"Yes?" she said. Then at that very moment he heard someone call his name "SHIN!" He turned around and there stood Athrun.

"Yes, Commander!" I.. mean Athrun" shin replied embarrassed.

"Old habits die hard I guess", said Athrun

Lacus couldn't help but chuckle. Shin looked over at lacus thinking about pulling her aside to inform her of what he had witnessed, but he didn't want to say anything in front of Athrun. He'll never forget how Athrun nearly fought him over Cagalli above the Minerva, and he didn't want to go down that path again especially since he'd just regained his trust. Athrun was no longer his enemy and even more so he wanted Cagalli to be his friend. He felt as if he had so much to _atone_ for~ Once again he was lost in thought when he heard Athrun yell,

"**Shin!**"

"Yes Athrun ", said shin, once again startled wondering what it could be about.

"May I talk to you for a minute" said a very bewildered Athrun

Lacus looked over at them both and then said" I think I'll go grab a bite to eat from the kitchen." It was her way of politely excusing herself. That tactic was one of her specialties.

"I was wondering how your conversation went with Cagalli?" Shin turned red wondering if perhaps she'd said something to Athrun.

"You mean she didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? I went to knock on her door and she didn't answer. I became a little worried and thought I should probably come find you first before I panic. I'm sure the last thing she needs is everyone hovering around her.."

"_umm _she was fine when I left, more energetic than ever_…..She…uh_ .. Mentioned that she was going to get some sleep"

"I see~ then It's a good thing that I talked to you, the last thing I would want is to wake her from sleeping, she's been through a lot lately and really needs the rest. The injuries that she endured usually take months for a natural to recuperate from, but I'm surprised that it's taking her no time to heal, even _**with**_ the transfusion."

Shin just stood their listening to Athrun taking it all in~ He could see the look of worry upon his face, but could also sense his concern, surly he ought to know her best~ thought shin. After all, if that wasn't Cagalli in that room Athrun would definitely know right? At least that's what he wanted to believe, and that's what he kept telling himself. Shin began to sweat.. as his mind wandered yet **again**! Tuning out the very voice speaking next to him

"**Shin** did you hear me?"

"huh oh yea…"

"I said would you like to stay here this evening? It's getting late and you have a long flight ahead of you tomorrow" Shin didn't know what to say. On one hand he didn't want to intrude on their privacy, but on the other hand this could be his only chance of finding out the truth. He just had to know! Shin let out a big sigh

"I'm sorry Athrun, I'm going to have to take you up on your offer. "replied shin. Athrun was taken aback by his comment, could shin actually be developing a sense of _humor _"that would be great thanks a lot for taking me in. I'd rather be surrounded by friends then a bunch of people I barley know. Thanks Athrun it means a lot to me"

Athrun couldn't help but let out a rare smile before replying "well I think I'm going to go sit in the garden for a while, flowers give me a sense of peace, and the stars a feeling of belonging if you know what I mean"

"No problem I think I'm still going to hang out here a while.." , said shin. At least that's what he wanted to do, but in the back of his mind he knew that Cagalli had to come out of that room sooner or later and he was going to be right there waiting when she _**did**_. He owed Athrun his life and He was determined to return the favor.

A short time later, while Kira was walking through the kitchen. He noticed lacus slicing an apple when all of a sudden the knife slipped from her fingers and cut her hand. Kira ran the short distance to her aid as she let out a small shout of pain. He grabbed her hand and rushed her over to the sink,

"Be careful lacus, unlike Cagalli we aren't the same blood type, so if something were to ever happen to you I'd never be able to forgive myself for not being able to save you. After Cagalli was shot my feelings for you were…."

"its ok kira" said lacus as she turned her head to look into his eyes "I'm not going anywhere" Just as she said that kira grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him, holding onto her as if she were a golden treasure made only for him.

"Let's go lacus" said kira as he took her hand and began leading her upstairs. Lacus thought that this was odd she was so use to _**following**_ kira and now he was **leading** _her_

Not long after Kira took her through the many twist and turns of the hallway. Lacus soon found herself in a room she'd never been in before. It had glass for a ceiling, plants filled throughout the room, and a balcony that overlooked the ocean. In the middle was a circular shaped bed that illuminated beneath the moonlight. As kira closed the door behind them, Lacus felt uplifted as she felt a sudden gentle breeze flow beneath her dress it was soo soothing. As she removed the clip that she always wore in her hair she turned around and walked towards the wind as if she were answering its call. As she stood at the edge of the balcony reveling in the cool warm night air she tilted her head upward at the moonlight longing to feel her hair follow along with the wind. As it wisped away gracefully exposing the nape of her neck she began to feel something warm on her ear, as the sensation began to travel down her neck, she felt this sudden urge to turn around and respond, but suddenly realized her hands were wrapped and trapped in someone else's . It wasn' t long before she soon found herself unable to move and weak in the knees, seconds later she felt the strap of her sun dress slide off her shoulder only to be caught at her waist revealing her strapless bikini top. Feeling as if she were about to suffocate she let out a sudden gasp of air as she felt tender lips trail against her shoulder, and travel down the middle of her back, so abrasively, but affectionately.

"Kira" she uttered with intense passion and ecstasy …

Kira didn't say a word as he stood behind her with his hands in front of her but clasped within hers at her side. Lacus was panting wondering what to do with this feeling..

"ummmmmmm " said kira as he let out a gentle breath of air "strawberries …..your hair smells like strawberries and you taste like sunshine lighting up my eternal soul, through all the sadness that I've endured, I've never felt more happiness than I do with you right now, this is my confession to you" Lacus's knees began to buckle as if her strength had been taken from her, before she fell to the balcony floor Kira lifted her up to carry her in his arms, and as he did her sun dress slid completely off exposing her bikini bottom.

"**lacus!**" he yelped "don't you think your taking this a bit far!"

"Whatever do you mean Kira?" said lacus calmly with a puzzled look on her face. She watched as kira appeared speechless. When she looked down she realized that he was staring at her pink bikini bottoms, however it wasn't the color that was bothering him, it was the pattern of pink Haros. Lacus didn't feel the need, but thought perhaps she should explain her choice of wardrobe as pleasantly as always. She simply said,

"Ohhh, I had planned on taking my dear pink to the beach today with cagalli, and I wore these just in case he got lost people would know who he belonged to" , said lacus with an innocent look on her face KIra turned green before saying," I know, but…" He begin to mumble to himself, "just when I felt like we were the only two people in the world having a perfectly romantic evening together I had to see those,…"

Lacus couldn't help but smile_, but inside she was crying_, the atmosphere in the house didn't feel right she felt as if a part of her were stolen. Kira looked deeply into her eyes as he carried her off to bed. Only once they reached their destination he gently laid her down, and lyed down next to her, spooning her, and holding her as he drifted off to sleep. While sleeping lacus whispered, "_someday_…..", while looking up at the stars through the glass ceiling.

A short time later in another part of the mansion shin watched as Cagalli left the haven of her room. No sooner had she turned the corner he slipped inside, not knowing how much time he had he rummaged briskly through her top drawer until he found the pills. He took two and now he had to get out quickly! Just as he was about to leave he heard footsteps, not wanting to take a chance of running into Cagalli again, he leapt off her personal room balcony, as soon as he landed he heard someone say,

"So are you going somewhere? Just what do you think you were doing?"

Shin looked behind him it was Athrun. Kicking himself for being an idiot he had forgotten that Athrun often took walks in the evening. It was his favorite pastime for clearing his head. What do I do now? I just can't loose his trust when I worked so hard to earn it! At least that's what shin wanted to **believe**….

On the third floor of the mansion was Lord Izumi's room. Inside of it was an adjacent office that was known to only a privledge few. No one had gone near his room in over five years, but tonight that was about to change. As the door eased opened someone decided to enter this once peaceful, forgotten room. Once inside she doubled than tripled knocked on the walls until she managed to open a hidden door, sound was the key to getting inside of this room. Once inside she sat down at the computer desk and then broke in half the charm that hung around her neck. Aftherwards she inserted it into the computer and downloaded the information she came for, without hesitation she uploaded a virus to erase the hard drive. After this was done, and as she was about to leave_ until _she heard _**someone turn the knob on the room door. **_

_Meanwhile on that not too distant island off the coast of Orb the girl who slept for far too long Finally opened her eyes. As she held onto her side from the pain, tears streamed down her face as she faintly said "It's time"…._


	11. Chapter 11: Opidemy

Chapter 11: Opidemy

Shin turned completely around to face athurn,

"I know what it looks like", said shin "But** honestly **it's not what you think"

"Really", said Athrun anticipating his answer"**Just** **what am I thinking**?"

"Well, I don't want you to assume the wrong thing, so I'll just tell you what I was doing,…**YOU**… **_see_ **I had a training maneuver in the morning and I didn't want to wake anyone, so I thought that I would just take the balcony way out…If you look up you'll notice that my room is next to cagalli's, sooooo... "

"I get it, you just thought you'd leapfrog your way down, am I right?"

"Exactly", said shin with a stoic grin on his face not knowing if he believed his story or not. Athrun walked towards shin and placed his hand on his shoulder. He grasped it so **tight** that shin thought he was going to loose his arm.

"I have no reason to disbelieve your story, but if any of it proves to be untrue**….I don't think I could forgive you the next time we meet**" At that point shin realized that the stakes had been raised. He also understood that if he was wrong about his assumption_~ it would cost himself the best friend he ever had. _

"And by the way", said Athrun as he turned his back toward shin preparing to walk away "Leave out the front gate, I wouldn't want you getting shot trying to jump over the back wall. The guards might mistake you for an intruder, and considering that you are a **guest **we wouldn't want to cause reason for a scandal. **Would we?**" Shin chose not to respond and just kept walking. He decided that if it kept Athrun out of danger then no price was too small to pay.

On the third floor of the mansion Kira was still sleeping. He may be the ultimate coordinator, but whenever he fell into a comatose sleep he _snored_. He never slept deeply because he always wanted to make sure to be on his guard, but tonight there was no need. The two people that meant more than anything in the world to him were safely sleeping in the house. Originally, Lacus and Kira had been staying in one of the guest rooms on the lower floor, however, since they decided to move in for a while the house staff prepared a room for them on the upper level. This was their first night in the new room and Lacus was having trouble sleeping. All she could think about was shins demeanor, cagalli's injuries, both seen and unseen, and the feeling of unrest within her soul.

She then felt a sudden urge to go for a stroll and explore her surroundings, after all, she wasn't familiar with this floor. During her exploration she noticed a room with double doors outlined in gold at the end of the main hall. She turned the knob, but it appeared to be stuck a little, and then she heard a small noise echo from inside the room. She quietly ran down the hallway and disappeared into the shadows, as she stood with her back against the wall she peered around the corner to see who would emerge. Her first thought was to go push Kira out of bed and get him to wake up, but she couldn't remember how to get back to him. Lacus let out a big sigh because of all things she lost, she never thought she would loose her husband this way. **IN** a battle _**maybe**_, of old age _**hopefully**_, but in his sleep _**never **_and worst yet, she didn't have a magic ball of string to get back to him~ **_only if such a thing existed_**. She heard the door open and crept down low almost sitting on the floor. She could hardly believe her eyes' **emerging from the room was cagalli!** For someone that is supposed to be so ill she is getting around quite well. Lacus looked on as she saw her run down a flight of stairs, something was defiantly going on. She decided not to follow instead she chose to explore the room instead. Cagalli was in such a rush to leave that she left the door ajar. Lacus entered, inside she saw that the room didn't appear to be disturbed, but she felt a slight flow of air circulating within the room. She felt the need to investigate, and that's when she noticed it, a slight crack in the wall. _How unusual she thought_. She tried to move it, but the door wouldn't budge and then she tried knocking~ _realizing that is what your suppose to do with a door_~ Inside she saw a computer very much still turned on, but the screen was flashing with bright red words that read **virus detected **. She became alarmed cagalli wouldn't have a reason to erase this information, especially after all of these years. She was now surer than ever that –that person was not the real lady cagalli, but she needed hard proof before she could approach Athrun with this information, and she knew just where to fish for**_ it_**. Everything began to finally make sense! She ran quickly to find butler Ito, she needed to locate shin's room.

_He_ rolled over once and then fell out of bed and said, "People may think that I am the ultimate coordinator, but there is nothing indestructible about my body", said a still tired and weary Kira. While rubbing his head the alarm went off. "**DAMMIT! It's 7 o'clock!** Wait a minute _where's lacus_?" Then he suddenly realized that he was suppose to meet with the doctor that treated cagalli this morning, and decided that it probably wouldn't be a good idea if he brought lacus along, considering he told Athrun that he was going to meet her somewhere. In fact it would be easier to explain why they didn't meet then to try to pretend they did, so even if Athrun saw lacus he could always explain a change in plans. Kira quickly showered, got dressed, skipped breakfast, rushed out the side entrance, jumped on his bike and sped off towards morganrate at a speed that only he could handle.

**_Elsewhere in the mansion _**lacus was running around trying to find butler Ito when she ran into Athrun and fell backwards, before she hit the floor Athrun caught her

"AH….Ohhhhh …..sorry about that." She said blushingly as he helped to stand her upright. "No problem….ah… is everything _**OK**_?"

"Everything is fine" said a very tense lacus "What would make you think that_ something is wrong?" _Then lacus noticed athrun starring down at her bunny slippers. "Ohhhh… that", she said"That's nothing! They're just my fuzzy little friends...ha ha ha ahhhh" She was trying to draw anything other than a blank expression out of athrun and when that didn't work she stomped her foot like a 3 year old child trying to get her parents attention. "Athrun!" she yelled **"I can't believe your paying more attention to my slippers than to me!"**

"Huh….oh sorry about that, I've been lost in thought a lot lately, It's just I've been trying to deal with everything that has happened. Hey aren't you supposed to be meeting Kira somewhere today? Not that I mind that you're here, considering shin decided to leave late last night for the plants. I must admit, I could use the company right now" Lacus had a blank expression on her face as Athrun revealed this tidbit of information.

"_Plants….Meet...ing, Right, Oh weeeeee_ decided to go out some other time. I have a conference call to make this morning and I didn't want to miss it. I think I'll go take that call right now" said lacus marching off...

"Lacus"

_"Yes?"_

"You're going in the wrong direction. The video conference room is the other way" stated athrun pointing in the direction of the room.

"I knew that! I was just checking to see if you knew that…Since you said that you've been lost in thoughts and all" Lacus grunted and marched off in the suggested direction. Once she entered the video conference room, she sighed a sigh of relief before collapsing on the couch.

"Now all that's left is to contact shin, I just hope I'm not too late" After telling the house staff that she didn't want to be disturbed she proceeded with her call.

After Athrun watched Lacus enter the room he decided to look in on cagalli. He knocked on her door, but there was no answer, as he turned to walk away he heard her say "who is it?"

"It's Athrun" he replied "May I come in?"

"I'm a little busy right now I'll catch you later" What he didn't know was that she was experiencing the shakes, and as a result, was in dire need of her medication to recover. She grabbed the pill bottle from her top drawer and took two capsules. After capping the bottle she couldn't hold it any longer. It fell from her hands and rolled under the bed. She then laid back onto her bed and looked up at the ceiling waiting for the episode to pass.

"Sure", said Athrun as he turned around and walked into his room which was right across the hall from hers. He wanted to give her time to herself, but he also wanted to be as close to her as possible in case of trouble. As athrun sat in his chair by the window he began to ponder his thoughts. He had this unnerving feeling that everyone was keeping something from him. It's as if there was a dance and he was the only one without a partner. _Not only that, _he had learned through the years to trust his instincts beginning with his heart, and his heart told him that he was very much in love with cagalli, _but something was out of place_. He recognized it the night they laid by the fire together, her persistence just seemed so unlike her, however the fact that no one seemed to mind her demeanor forced him to give her the benefit of a doubt. Besides without concrete proof he just couldn't let himself think that way. She was nearly killed and who was he to doubt the one he loves especially in a critical time like this with a maniac on the loose. He did that once and had no desire to travel that path again. As soon as he reached his conclusion to stay by her side, cagalli came rushing into his room. As Athrun stood up and turned to face her he noticed that she wore a satin blue camisole top with shorts to match.

"You look like you're going to bed_ or _did you come in here for something else? After all, it is the middle of the day. I find it hard to believe that you're still sleeping at this late hour."

"Do you really have to be so cold Athrun?"

"Me …cold …. This coming from you….I don't know, maybe I deserve it, seeming as I was so wrapped up in my own happiness that I couldn't protect you on that day." Athrun turned around to face the window with his back towards her,

"Please don't say that, don't be that way", said cagalli. She quickly ran towards him, while resting her head against the crevice in his back she wrapped her arms around him. " _Please turn around athrun , please look at me, please hold me as if I were the only one you ever thought of~ I've wanted you for so long, please don't deny me my dream, __**please don't shut me out**__, I don't think I can survive if __**you**__ shut me out…..I…..I_" She held onto him tighter and tighter.

"Cagalli the things that you are saying sound strange? Almost crazy ... I don't understand it" Athrun turned around to face her, the moment he did she moved her hands up to his neck stood on her tippy toes and tilted her head upward to kiss him, as he leaned downward to respond to her advances he placed his hands on her waist, and made a point to touch the area of her wound. Although her eyes were still closed he suddenly opened his real wide. He felt no **wound**! Athrun immediately grabbed hold of her shoulders with his hands and forced her feet back down to earth.

"WHA...Wha… are you doing? I thought you would…. _Were married_…" said a very scared and tense cagalli. Athrun looked deep into her eyes and said very coldly,

"I don't know who the HELL you are, but I do know who you're not, and **you're not caga**lli!"

"What are you talking about, we're married …we…we...promised each other till death do us part.."

Cagalli began to tiptoe backwards a step or two clenching her hands together appearing to cry

"I remember till death do us part, **but you weren't part of it**. Now I'm going to ask you one time. Where** is **my** wife**!"

"I'm right here", said a still stunned crying cagalli. She walked closer and put her hands up to touch Athrun's face as if to kiss him again. Athrun very sternly said, "Don't touch me, don't **ever** touch me, or" tears began to stream down Athruns face "**I'll have to kill you**"

"But athrun WHY?" I've done nothing_ wrong..._"

"Nothing wrong, _you impersonated my wife_, I told you to back off"

"But athrun…" she leaned in to touch him again, only this time athrun reached behind him and pulled out the gun hidden underneath the nightstand, and pointed it at cagalli.

"I told you to back away, I asked **you** where my wife was and you insult my _intelligence_. I may not know how, but I can**_ feel _**that you are not her, now tell me where she **is**!" Just as athrun spoke those words lacus knocked on the door.

"Athrun, athrun it's me lacus may I come in? I need to talk to you…." Athrun didn't say a word, at that moment kira walked up the steps and found a increasingly worried lacus standing outside athruns room door. They looked into each other's eyes. No words were needed to exchange their thoughts and fears. It's as if they read each other's minds.

"Kira he won't open the door"

"It's alright lacus. Athrun I'm coming in!" Kira opened the door and found athrun pointing a gun at cagalli.

"Kira she's not….."

"I know athrun"

"**_You know?"_**awnsered athrun. At that very moment cagalli spoke up.

"Kira he's dilusional athrun has gone insane, you have to stop him!"

"No **you stop it!** Why don't you cut the crap and tell us who you really are? You're not my sister and you're defiantly not his wife…" Lacus felt that she ought to step in before things got out of control.

"Please miss….I don't know what to call you, but you know everyone here, and no one will hurt you, we just want to find cagalli PLEASE! Just like Kira and athrun, she too is very precious to me, so I'm asking, no I'm begging you, please won't you tell us who you are and where she is? "

"Topaz"

"What?"

"Don't make fun of it! My name is topaz! I'll tell you who I am, but I won't tell you where she is, If I did that, then what's stopping you from killing me? I'm not stupid you know."

"And to think I almost built a life with you, I feel like such an idiot"

"Don't blame yourself athrun, I think all of us were excited to see ca...galli get well that we couldn't see past our own desperation." Said Kira to a very distraught Athrun before turning to topaz "But that's still no excuse for deceiving us, How did you get in here anyway?"

"I'm not telling you anything! You figured out this much you can discover the rest on your own!" said a very upset topaz.

"You could of made it easier on yourself, but right now the military is here to incarcerate you" the officers who came with Kira handcuffed topaz and took her away, and to make sure that she didn't overpower them he made sure that they were coordinators.

"Oh Kira is that really necessary she seemed like such a nice person" topaz walked by with a sinister look on her face.

"It is lacus, for all we know she may of killed cagalli and at this point we don't know exactly who or what she is other than the fact that she looks like cagalli" Lacus walked over to a still shocked athrun and took the gun out of his hand.

"Athrun we need to talk" He looked at her with dead eyes, fell to his knees and collapsed into her arms crying and calling out for cagalli.

_**A short time later Kira, athrun and cagalli were all sitting around the tea table in cagalli's room.**_ They thought that perhaps they could talk things through and search for some clues that could help lead to cagalli's where abouts.

"What if we never find her Kira?" said a still distraught athrun.

"Don't worry, Well find her athrun and even if we don't, we won't give up looking for her until we do"

"How did you know that she wasn't the real cagalli, I mean I just had a gut feeling. And how about you kira? How did you find out"

"It was the doctor that did the transfusion. I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was going, but I wasn't sure what he was going to say, and I didn't want to alarm you. Cagalli is a natural so he took her blood before the transfusion and tested it to be sure that she was strong enough to handle the procedure, since I am a coordinator we had to be extra careful even if we are the same blood type, so many things could still go wrong. He also took her blood afterwards to see if there was a change in her genetic sequence, and discovered that she had no junk DNA it was perfect in every way. Even if it were possible her DNA wouldn't alter this drastically in such a short amount of time. The only possibility was that she wasn't the same person" Lacus stood up from the table and walked over to the window. Her foot hit something on the floor it was a pill bottle. She decided to put it in her pocket and not tell the others about it, she thought that perhaps she could use it as a barganing chip for later.

"Just who or what is she then?" said athrun.

"She's a clone" Athrun and Kira looked at her in disbelief.

"Lacus, how do you know this?" said a still stunned Kira,

"please don't ask me, just trust me on this, I can't reveal my source, but I promise I will tell everything to you later, right now it's more important to find miss cagalli" At the thought of that Athrun dropped his head in his hands and then he saw it, **as chrystine as day** _underneath the bed lay the letter_….

**Meanwhile on the island off the coast of ORB, the girl was sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea, when via walked into the room.**

"Just where are we exactly?" she asked

"You'll recognize it when you leave", said Via as she placed a translucent sterling quartz crystal fashioned into the shape of a necklace around the girl's neck. Afterwards tears began to stream from Via's eyes

"_**But unfortunately I won't be able to come with you cagalli" **_


	12. Chapter 12: Distance

_**Chapter 12: Distance**_

Athrun couldn't understand what he was seeing, but was elated at the thought that perhaps it could be a clue to the where abouts of his loved one. He knelt down and reached under the bed and retrieved the letter.

"Hum what's that?" said kira

"I don't know, it appears to be some sort of a letter"

Lacus picked up an envelope from the nightstand. "It appears to of been addressed to lady cagalli" Athrun stared at the letter.

"Well Athrun what does it say?" Athrun began to read the letter aloud:

**May 18th **

_**I've been searching for you the last 24 years. These have been the longest 45 years of my life. I can only hope that all is not lost. If you want to know the long lost truth about your past and have the power to be able to protect the ones you love. Please meet me where your true heart dwelled.**_

_**Mother**_

"I don't understand" said Kira "cagalli never knew her mother. She died when she was very young and that date May 18th doesn't make any sense unless it was written months ago"

Athrun was trying to rationalize what was going on. He thought about the day she chased him down at the shuttle launch pad. Could she of been trying to tell him something then, and he failed to listen. He stood and stared over the letter that lay on the table. You could see his frustration as a tear slid down from his cheek.

"Dammit! He yelled why didn't I see it before" yelled a very teary eyed athrun

"Its ok athrun no one could have known what was going to happen to her"

"It's not that kira" athrun began to laugh a little to keep from crying. Kira and lacus just looked at each other, wondering if he'd finally gone crazy.

"This letter is so dammed cryptic it's amazing that cagalli figured it out, or maybe she didn't and that's why she was taken, either way I'll be right back"

"Kira we better follow"

"It will be alright, we should just wait here"

Athrun returned with his laptop, and started inputting information at speeds that amazed even kira. Kira watched as he focused on the words **Last 24** years and **Longest 45** years.

"Hum, I finally get it athrun"

"What is it kira, will someone please let me on the secret"

"Cagalli's location was staring athrun right in the face the whole time, the last 24 years is 24 degrees latitude and the longest 45 years is 45 degrees longitude…" before kira could finish Athrun said,

"Got it!"

"Great let's get going"

"No! You stay here kira. If something happens to me and I don't come back someone needs to be here to watch over ORB"

"That should be you athrun! Let me go, after all, you are in the direct line of succession now since your married to her" Kira tried to run out ahead of athrun when lacus stopped him in his tracks,

"No Kira please let athrun do this, His soul is empty and the only person who can fill it again is cagalli" kira had a frustrated look on his face.

"Alright Athrun …I'll stay and wait for a time, but….."

Before Kira could finish his sentence athrun was gone. He took the elevator down to the lower level which was in the basement of the mansion. There he boarded the 101-stealth, a new prototype fighter craft with a transformable structure. The main feature of this mobile suit was that not only was it silent and undetectable by sonar, or heat sensor, it also had the same cloaking system that was equipped in Nichols gundam. **But** with one additional feature, it had the ability to mirror its surroundings, and actually become part of the environment. Athrun didn't need to input the coordanents to get to this location. He knew it all too well. It was the island where he and cagalli first met.

Back inside the mansion a very desperate kira was still standing in the very spot athrun left him in, clenching his fists and weeping lacus tried to comfort him.

"Oh kira why are you so sad?" said lacus

"Because I was the one! I was the one who let cagalli get taken away, May 18th is our birth date and the person who took her was our mother. That's why I wanted to be the one to bring her back. I can't just stand here and do nothing" Lacus embraced kira, stroked his hair and said,

"It's alright, because what was lost will now be found again. Please kira have faith in Athrun, because he wields the most powerful weapon of all. That is the power of their Love, so I'm sure they'll both come back to us safely"

On the island cagalli was getting dressed she wore black jeans, a green shirt, leather jacket and boots to match. Her hair was pulled back in a braided ponytail that stopped at her waist. While she admired the crystal necklace around her neck, via walked in.

"You've grown up so beautiful my daughter"

"Thank you mother"

"Although I must say that I am amazed that your hair grew so long so quickly. Evidently a minor side effect of the transfusion"

"And one that I can live with If I may add. I was thinking of growing my hair out for a while now. We have so much to talk about, I can't wait for you to meet kira he's the most amazing brother ever, if I might add. We just got married recently"

"I know I was there, but cagalli we can't stay here, you can't stay here.. we have to leave"

"But _why_? There's so many things that I want to ask you, such as where have you been all this time? Why did you keep me and kira apart? I mean not that I'm mad or anything I had a wonderful father even if I never knew the person I could call mother, uh…wait… Where is my father?" Via smiled a sad smile.

"Look cagalli I promise I'll answer all of your questions in due time, but we can't stay in this underground facility for much longer kyre has already made preparations to return you to your home..."

"Kyre? Who's that?"

"My assistant he helped me treat your injuries. As long as I'm not with you I know that you'll be safe"

"But mom just who are you trying to protect me from"

"The less you know the better, Take this"

"A bracelet?" Via grabbed and embraced her long lost child when an explosion could be heard from outside. Kyre came running inside.

"Via its time! One of the scout drones has found us, it's only a matter of time before it gets inside, via do you understand what I'm saying, we must protect this facility if there is a chance of survival"

"I know that! Go kyre!"

"MY lady!"

"Kyre I said GO! Prepare the water craft I'll be right behind you"

"No you're the most important, I'll take her" Kyre went to grab cagalli's hand

"Hands off! She's my daughter I'll protect her" with that being said via turned towards cagalli grabbed her hand and said" LETS GO! I need to get you to the surface"

"What about everyone else?"

"Don't worry about them there are escape watercraft underneath this island. The most important thing is that we get you to safety" As soon as they reached the elevator the door exploded. Via threw herself in front of cagalli and shielded her with her body as the power of the explosion threw them onto the floor. Via scrambled to her feet

"Cagalli are you alright?"

_"I'm fine"_

"That's good" she smiled" come on we must make it up to the stairs. Cagalli could see that via was in worse shape than she was letting on. She put her arm around her neck and told her to lean on her and that they will travel the distance together. They had four more flights to go and she was determined to make it.

_Meanwhile, as Athrun was slowly approaching the island. _He noticed on his radar that some miles out were a fleet of gundams with no ID code. The stealth was fast but it was mostly geared for reconnaissance missions than heavy duty battle. So far athrun was able to approach virtually undetected. As he got closer he noticed a single drone destroy a skygrasper, and that's when he noticed a woman in a white lab coat and a girl with a yellow ponytail open a door on the top of the cliff. Athrun saw that the drone didn't pick up on their heat signatures and since he was still in stealth mode he was able to get close. He didn't want to risk a battle with a fleet on the way and two people's lives at stake. His objective was to get cagalli and get the hell out of there. He also knew that if he transformed he would become visible for a time. He had no choice, he decided to transform and land his machine on top of the cliff, afterwards, he knelt the gundam down and lowered its hand.

"Get on!"

"Athrun?"

"This is no time to argue cagalli get on" cagalli turned to look at her mother and they both nodded. She helped her mother onto the gundams hand.

"Hold on tight you two" Athrun knew he couldn't fly fast with the two of them on his hand, so he thought that if he could travel a safe distance from the island he could lower them both into the cockpit. As soon as he airlifted from the island he was hit from behind by the drone. Cagalli tried to hold onto her mother, but she slid off the fingers and now cagalli was trying to hang onto her with both of her hands,

"Mother please don't let go, I can't loose you again, **I won't**…"

"Mother?" athrun was stunned when he heard her words.

"Cagalli listen to me… You must let me go, you don't have the strength to pull me back up, and there is no time. That was a scouting drone and it has no doubt already alerted the HOLY LAND FACTION and they'll be here any moment!" Cagalli began to show pain on her face.

"Your side, it's hurting you again isn't it?"

Athrun couldn't bare to watch, and the drone was recharging for another strike. He had no choice he had to take action. He opened the cockpit door and just as he leapt from it to grab Via, she released her hand and began to fall backwards all while saying,

"I was happy to protect you my daughter and happy to of been your mother" cagalli screamed "mother noooooo!" Athrun picked up cagalli and carried her into the cockpit crying. He sat her on his lap, took out his beam saber and sliced the attack drone. Afterwards he noticed that the fleet was about 500 yards out not wanting to engage in a battle. He put the 101 back into stealth mode and kept accelerating until he neared ORBS airspace where he was met by kira in one of ORBS latest murasames.

"Kira!"

"I'm sorry athrun, I was worried. Did you find cagalli?"

"Yea she's right here"

"I'll meet you at the mansion"

"Alright then, I'll see you there" as athrun arrived he landed the stealth in gundam mode, and then proceeded to disembark with cagalli. As soon as their feet met the ground athrun immediately turned to embrace her. He clung to her as if it were the last time he would see her. He wanted to treasure every moment as if it were the last.

"I thought I'd lost you, I was afraid I'd never find you"

"How did you, find me?"

"_It was the letter….. from your mother" Tears_ began to stream from cagallis eyes and kira looked away. Athrun pulled back from cagalli still holding onto her and looked into her eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" answered cagalli looking at him with a smirk on her face.

"WAIT!" said kira "I'm not entirely convinced. Lacus looked at kira with a frown and screamed "kira!" As if to get his attention.

"What? Have you seen her hair she doesn't look like cagalli."

"Why you jerk!" said a very angry cagalli. Kira pulled out his gun.

Athrun became angry "Kira just what do you think you're doing?"

"Kira stop this!" said an alarmed lacus.

"I know what all of you are thinking, but I have to ask this. What kind of sauce do you like on your mcnair kabobs?" Cagalli cringed

"Chili sauce of course! You ought to know that you jerk!" kira lowered his weapon and lifted his other hand as if he were going to scratch his head "yeaaaaa and I'm gonna make you eat it for a week!" she stormed over and when she tried to punch him in the face kira dodged it, put both his hands up and said,

"Wait let's talk about this cagalli" Athrun and Lacus couldn't help but smile and laugh as cagalli chased kira around the hanger. At one point she cornered him, and as she lifted her fist to hit him.

Kira said, "Wait cagalli your shirt" when she looked down she saw blood and before she could collapse to the floor kira caught her and walked her to the bench to sit down.

"It's ok" she said "I just overdid it a little. I just need to rest that's all" As lacus ran to call a medic Athrun decided to carry her up to her room, as they got closer she stopped athrun.

"Wait!"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, It's just that I want to go to** our** room….I….don't want to be alone" athrun smiled and said "neither do I" as she laid down on the bed athrun sat next to her stroking her hair as he always did when he wanted to be near her~

"Don't worry cagalli I'm not going to leave your side again." he leaned down to kiss her lips as she lay sleeping, and then he said, "I promise you that I'm going to get the bastard responsible for this!"

As kira was in the living room looking out of the window lacus approached him from behind and called his name

_"Kira"_

"Athrun told me that she watched our mother die, I should of gone lacus perhaps I could of…" lacus shook her head and said, "What's done is done there is no looking back on it now. We just need to know which path to take forward from here"

"You're probably right"

_**Elsewhere in the ocean not far from the island where cagalli escaped from~via's body was being retrieved from the ocean, and brought aboard a yacht.**_

"How is she?"

"She's stable Dr. Hibiki"

"That's great I'm sure it would please he Holy Land faction to know that we'll finally get to return the one that got away. Via how could you betray me" That's what ullen said as he looked out at the island drinking a cup of azelya blend coffee …..


	13. Chapter 13: Just To Be Close To You

_**Chapter 13: Just To Be Close To You**_

_Earlier Athrun had informed the staff not to disturb them, so that there were no interruptions. He wanted Cagalli to have as much rest as possible, and they were more than happy to oblige. He sat up the entire night watching her chest rise. He didn't want to turn his eyes away from her the only sound he desired to hear was her heartbeat. Even though it pained him to see her still injured, he was none- the- less happy to see that the wound was healing, and even more ecstatic that he finally had his wife back. His arms longed to hold her, but in her fragile state he was afraid that she would break. Cagalli was the type of person that didn't want to feel burdensome. He was concerned that if he was overly helpful, she wouldn't want to tell him when she was really hurting, and that was a chance that he didn't want to take. It was only for a moment that he gazed out the open window when he heard her stir. He thought she was just changing positions, but found that to be untrue when he heard her call out his name_

"_ATHRUN! ATHRUN! OH MY GOD A..TH..RUN!" Heaven couldn't stop him from rushing to her beside quick enough. She arose so quickly that she started wincing from the pain. It hurt so much she had trouble repeating his name, and the aches were so bad that she was sweating immensely. He immediately took off his shirt revealing his washboard abs and begun to wipe the sweat from her face and chest._

"_I'm right here cagalli, I'm not going anywhere, I promise" she took his shirt from him bawled it up and held it against her side._

"_I'm sorry, but it always feels better when I apply pressure"_

"_Here let me do that for you, maybe you shouldn't sit up in bed. It might be better if you lay down." She grabbed his arm that was holding the cloth to stop his movement._

"_No athrun I've laid down long enough please just hold me. I don't care how much it hurts I just want to be in your arms. __**I just want to be close to you" **__As she wept from the pain athrun held onto her as if she were a china doll. Shushing her as if she were a baby trying hard to sleep, all the while whispering in her ear,_

"_It's ok cagalli, I'm here, I'll stay with you as long as you need, even if that time is forever, Even if it means us never leaving this room, Nothing else matters as long as I'm with you, I love you" He noticed that she began to shiver, but she didn't want to let him go. He loosened the barrette that bound her hair to let it flow, as if it were a blanket keeping her warm. She slowly drifted off to sleep in his arms, but everytime he stirred to lay her down she would awake,_

"_Don't go, you promised you wouldn't leave me" she'd say in a shallow voice_

_And he would always reply, "I wasn't trying to" Eventually she stopped fighting him and he was able to lay her down, but he still kept his promise only he held onto her hand his fingers woven in between hers. Throughout the night he laid on his back with his left hand behind his head and his right hand captured in hers. For the first time in a long time he felt at peace she completed him. From time to time he would look to his right if only to look at her soft and relaxed face. She looked beautiful when she was awake, but even more so when she was sleeping. Athrun slowly begun to drift off to sleep and began to dream of their future. It was a pleasant dream, because it ended with a kiss. Only the kiss wasn't just a dream cagalli had awoken him with a kiss, although he was a little startled he opened his eyes and welcomed it with much anticipation. Once she came up for air she gazed into his emerald green eyes and said,_

"_Not only did I want to finish what I started, you got away from me tonight, so I had to come back and get you. You promised you would hold me all night. I'm not sugar I won' t melt, I'm not glass I won't break what I am is hopelessly in love with you, what I desire is to be with you, maybe not in every way that matters just yet, but in every way that counts. You complete me Athrun Zala and I don't ever want to loose you, I…", and once she said that athrun saw her grab her head. He sat up pulled her close to him and started rocking her. As he swayed with her slowly back and forth he kept kissing her head_

"_I'm sorry athrun, my thoughts are so jumbled, I keep trying to remember, but everything is in pieces, through it all the one constant memory I have is of you and my mother. Forgive me I'm such a mess. It's ok if you don't want to stay with me" Athrun suddenly stopped rocking. He took her face in his hands and forced her to look into his eyes,_

"_Listen to me! Don't ever say that, don't even __**think**__ that way, we've been through hell and back together. You are my heaven on earth, and you'll be my salvation in death. I made a promise and I meant it. My life is nothing without you. Sure I can be foolish and I'm not perfect, but I don't need to be as long as I have you. We complete each other, and don't worry about your memories, If they don't come back we'll make new ones and If they __**do**__ we'll work through them…together" with that being said he kissed her softly, gently and deeply. Cagalli forgot all about the pain as athrun proved to be the best medicine._

_As Athrun held her as they slept he realized that if their marriage was going to be fruitful he needed to tell cagalli about ~Topaz. Although he hadn't done anything to feel guilty about the situation in itself was awkward. However his concern wasn't for Topaz, but rather cagalli. What would she do? Hadn't she suffered enough? These were questions he was trying to find the answers to as he caressed the most important person in his life._


	14. Chapter 14: The Morning After

_**Chapter 14: The Morning After**_

It was finally morning, she had awakened groggier than ever, but never felt more rested. As she sat up in her bed and starred at her left, she saw that Athrun was still sound asleep. Not wanting to wake him she quietly tip- toed out of bed and made her way down the hall to the shower. After she was finished dressing for the day she felt famished, and craved for breakfast. No sooner had she sat down at the dining room table, lacus asked to join. However, eating breakfast with her sister-in-law was not all lacus had in mind. She felt that cagalli should understand the circumstance surrounding her disappearance and the events that took place while she was gone, before they were somehow twisted by some outside source. As their conversation drew to a close, Cagalli appeared to understand without reservation what happened and was grateful to lacus for choosing not to hide it from her. She gave lacus a much belated hug and overdue wedding congratulations before jumping into Athrun's Lamborghini. She needed to speak to the one person who _she felt _could help straighten out the mess that was created within her life, but more than anything she wanted some closure on what was happening around her ~She had so many questions, but not nearly enough answers, and was determined to fill those missing pieces in her memory. However, as she shifted the car into fifth gear, she once again began to feel the throbbing pain. Holding onto her head, she pulled the car over, and leaned back. _**I have to get through this, I can't protect anyone like this, and I must fight through it**_. Those were her thoughts, before she passed out in the car seat. As she came to, what seemed like minutes was actually hours, but nothing was going to keep her from reaching her destination, feeling much better she drove onward.

As Athrun awoke he reached over to kiss cagalli only to discover he was sucking face with a pillow. His mouth dropped as he yelled," NOT AGAIN!"...He ran throughout the house searching every room only to appear before lacus in the dining room.

"Athrun, you looked like you've lost something"

"No lacus, I just …I just misplaced it"

"It?? Or do you mean HER?" It took a moment before athrun finally realized what she was implying" He tried to make a run for it to search for her, before suddenly stopping in his tracks to the realization that he had no direction to travel.

"Umm lacus do you know where she went"

"Perhaps", replied lacus as she was sipping on some rose flower tea.

"Well, are you going to tell me?"

Lacus smiled and simply said "No" Athrun was stunned at her words, had she finally _**lost it**_!

"You needn't worry athurn for I've told her everything and she is just fine"

"I still need to be with her!"

"And she needs to be by herself, She went to do what only she can do" at that moment kira walked up behind athrun,

"I think you should tell him where she's gone lacus"

"I can't kira. Athrun, it's time for you to fight the battle _of patience_. If you don't have _that_ cagalli will never find you" Athrun put his hand to his face. If he drove around mindlessly looking for her, he could miss her,

"You're probably right lacus. I …I think I'll wait, but only for a time, and then…."

"Relax Athrun, you won't be disappointed, besides no one would dare take Miss cagalli away when they know that she has you by her side. Now why don't you have some rose tea. There is nothing more sweeter than the smell of flowers in the morning"

_Athrun thought to himself~ __**Except for cagalli's lips**_

She encountered no resistance as she made her way to the cells beneath morganrate that held orbs most dangerous criminals pending deportation. However this criminal's case was classified and was only known to a very select **elite** few. Dressed in ordinary clothes, not wanting to be noticed she used her key card to enter level "D". Once inside she made her way to the last cell in the hallway. Not wanting to be a prisoner in her own mind she was hoping that something this person had to say would help open the doorway to unlock her memories.

"So you're the one…" said cagalli to a girl that looked as if she could be her twin, with the exception of her short blond hair. Only this particular person just laid motionless on a cold metal bench staring at a wall...

"Excuse me I thought I heard a fly"

"Cut the crap Topaz! I heard all about **you** and your exploits…your nothing but a...a...**Pretender**"

"**You** can't even say it can you cagalli, Why don't you face it...I **am** **your** clone…I was the first one developed, but the last one born"

"Whhaa …what do you mean…How…. are you trying to say that you're my sister?!"

"Don't make me puke…just because we share the same DNA, it doesn't make us family... Via asked me to help her and **I did** _for a small favor that is__**~ I help her to save you and She gives me what I need, plain and simple**_. I just want to get out of here so that **she** can pay up"

"Well, You'll have a tough time collecting she's ….she's dead" Topaz turns her head towards cagalli and squints her eyes, "It was bound to happen sooner or later"

"Dammit topaz how can you be so heartless"

"heartless………you……..have……EVERYTHING…….I thought about stealing your life and then leaking your location….well let's just say I did steal your life **and** that husband of yours …He seemed to want me even when he thought that I wasn't you. I guess I have that _**effect**_"

Cagalli began shaking her head, "I don't believe you! **You're wrong**! Athrun would never do something like that...He would never betray me for you…I trust him completely! We have a bond that no one can break, not **even **_a __**half-ass carbon copy like you"**_

"Who are you trying to convince** me** or _yoursel_f?!"

"Listen carefully and I'm only going to say this **once**, stay away from me, my family, and…and…If you ever come between me and the people that I love again I will knock you into oblivion! **Ya got that!**" Topaz stared at her with a dead expression and said nothing. Cagalli walked away, she wanted to ask her more, _but couldn't_ her head was throbbing again and she needed to get away. Besides, She knew that topaz wouldn't be going anywhere, anytime soon, and could always come back, but right now she didn't want to expose her weakness to whom she believed to be her enemy.

Tired of being closed in and hovered over, _she didn't_ _want_ to go home and _she didn't want_ to alarm the people around her over a simple headache, _she didn't want_ to be treated like a victim anymore. Somehow, someway, she managed to make it back to her car, but with no destination in mind she just started driving. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew where she didn't want to go. And then _**it**_ happened, while driving she had a flashback of her mother talking to kyre explaining how they needed to get away before they are located by the holyland faction and that ulin will never change his mind. While lost in that memory she lose track of what she was doing. Once she entered reality again she immediately slammed on the breaks in front of a street light of all things. A pedestrian screamed,

"**Hey lady you have a death wish! Get A GRIP!"**

_**Where am I?**_~she thought to herself, before realizing that she was at her father's memorial. She decided to get out of the car and walk~ exercise is the best medicine she kept telling herself over and over again. Eventually, she made it to the center garden when she had another flashback. _Only this time she was there with kira the day before her wedding_. Choking back the tears she wanted to smile soo badly as she remembered their conversation. Then she fell to her knees, put her hands over her ears and screamed "**Mother WHY?!"** She was hurt and confused, not caring about the _time_, she lay on the memorial park bench and unknowingly cried herself to sleep.

Back at the mansion athrun kept looking out the window before being beckoned by kira and lacus to play yahtzee.

"It won't do you any good if you stand there nor will it make the time go faster..."

"But kira, it's late and she hasn't made it home yet, Lacus please you have to tell me where she is?"

Lacus looked at kira before walking over and taking athruns hand.

"Athrun please try not to think about it. Try to cheer up, you wouldn't want cagalli to see your fear, I'm sure it would only make her sad"

"alright then, I'll try" Athrun reluctantly sat down at the table," but I'm going first, that _**is**_ if I'm to have a chance at winning against kira" and then he let out his first smile of the day.

Two hours later as Athrun rolled the die for the last round he heard a thunderclap and then pouring rain. At the sound of that he lurched from his chair and said,

"I'm sorry kira… I have to go!"

"But Athrun!"

"Let him go lacus! I too am worried about cagalli. If you're not back in 2 hours I'll be coming to join you"

"I wouldn't have it any other way" smiled athrun on his way out the door. He ran to the garage to get in his car and then he noticed it was gone. He was sure that cagalli took it. He needed something fast, and made the split second decision to borrow kira's bike, but it was on the opposite side of the residence. Rather than waste time running through the mansion he chose to run to the other garage by way of the outside. As soon as he opened the garage door to the outside there was a huge gust of wind and rain that nearly blew him over.

"**Dammit!" **he yelled

As he ran past the walkway in front of the estate doorway he heard a faint voice speak his name. He turned around and saw a girl with long blond hair treading up the walkway. Hoping it was cagalli He ran to meet her, as he eased closer, he could see her long wet hair flying in the wind. The green t-shirt she wore underneath was now wet exposing her chest. Her jeans clung to her like leather, and her feet squished as she stepped forward. The only thing she had left to keep her from getting wet was a leather jacket, and even that wasn't keeping her dry. Alarmed to see that she was soaked from head to toe he couldn't control his emotions.

"**Cagalli?! Where have you…"** she cut him off before he could finish his sentence

"I'm sorry athrun, the car ran out of gas…I had to walk …..**Home**"

"It's alright let's get you inside" as he reached forward to help shield her from the rain, she took a step and then collapsed forward, he touched her forehead and felt her burning with fever. Scared to death he picked her up and carried her limp body to the guest house, which was on the other side of the rose garden. Once there he stripped her of her drenched clothing, and ran to the bathroom to grab a towel to dry off her soiled body. When he returned he saw that she was shivering uncontrollably on the floor. He rushed to her side, wrapped a robe around her and held her head to his chest as he dried her wet hair.

"Wait here cagalli, I'm going to make a fire"

"_S…u…r…e_"

After he made the fire he made a call to the main house to inform kira and the staff of his where abouts, and to let everyone know that they were safe and sound. As he looked around the room he spotted a euthenacia plant. Thinking back to his early childhood days on Junis 7, the plants agriculture plant, he rememberd his mother telling him that this plant had the power to bring down fevers and cure many ailments associated with the common cold and strengthen the immune system~ perfect medicine for sickness. He used its roots to make a tea with hopes of treating her fever.

"Cagalli, drink, it may taste bitter at first but what's most important is that we bring your fever down" She drunk without hesitation. For their was no one she trusted more with her life them him. After she warmed by the fire, still feeling weak she wanted to go lay down in the bed to regain her strength. She slowly stood up, but before she had the chance to take a step, athrun swooped her up in his arms to carry her off to bed. Surprised by this and while still in his arms she felt compelled to speak,

"Athrun I"

"**It doesn't matter**, all that matters is that you're safe" she never felt closer to Athrun then she did at this very moment. He not only gave her the space she needed, but he did it without her even asking. If there was one thing that she learned today that was the key to the truth lied within her memories. She enjoyed every second of being carried in his arms and relished in the touch of his hands. She couldn't help but smile, as she starred up at her husband taking her to the bed that they'll share together this night. After they reached the room he gently laid her down and covered her body with his, with her head still resting on his hand he said

"Even if you're not near me, be it five feet or twenty away, I'll always be there to protect you as your **shield" **Cagalli put her arms around his neck and as he inched closer for the long awaited kiss. She tilted her head back only to remember the night she was in the hospital fighting for her life. Athrun had made the same pledge to her, but even more she remembered another conversation between her mother and kyre.

"Ath...run" she called out in ecstasy. He raised his head from her neck. As he looked down into her golden eyes, he noticed for the first time the crystal that hung from her neck. She lifted two fingers to his lips and with tears streaming from her face she gazed at him with such sincerity and said,

"_I have to go back"_ he didn't have to speak to make his feelings known He was terrified and it showed. The more she saw it the more she wept.

**_Back at the level "D"_** one of the guards was passing through to bring Topaz her evening meal.

"There's a little something extra in it tonight" not knowing what he meant she replied

"Thanks now buzz off" as she sat up to grab her tray, something fell on the floor.

"A gift from Mr. AJ" said the guard while walking away. She looked at it and began to smile, holding it close to her heart she grinned gloating all the while saying, AZI_ you do care ……_

_On the Yacht in the middle of the ocean a very shattered spirited Via was sitting in a wheel chair looking out at the ocean through her cabin room window, toying with her pendent that lay around her neck…._

"_**I hadn't the power before, but this time I'll protect you both till the end. Cagalli I'm sorry I had to suppress your memories, but as soon as you awake, you'll know everything"**_


	15. Chapter 15: Not a Word

_**Chapter 15: Not a Word**_

Without speaking a word Athrun slowly got up from the bed and walked over to the eight foot window. Wearing only his blue pajama pants he stood, and then leaned with his forearm pressed up against it, starring into the wide open space deep in thought. Every now and again he would see a flash of lightening, the wind was howling and it was still raining. _The weather was mirroring his feelings all twisted in knots. _He didn't want to look at cagalli who was now sitting up in bed. He couldn't even think about how _**she **__was feeling_, because he was too wrapped up in his own emotions. And _**still **_he said _**not a word**_, not because he hated her, or couldn't stand the sight of her, **but** because he didn't want to say something he'd soon regret. For the first time neither of them knew what to say to one another, and the feeling in the room was tense, but yet subtle. Dressed in her Champaign satin nightgown little by little Cagalli walked towards athrun. He could hear her footsteps, but had no desire to turn around. Looking at her was facing his fears and although he had been through many battles, he had no desire to pick this one. _He didn't feel that he could win_. As he closed his eyes to think, he felt the warmth of **her** hands as they slowly wrapped around his chest, even if he wanted to, he had decided that he was not going to _give in-__**not this time**_. The chains around his heart that guarded him against reason began to waver. He opened his eyes for a moment and then closed them again only to feel her head rest upon him, soon he began to feel tingles and then chills. It was cagalli's tears silently flowing down the crevice of his back coming into contact with the cool air in the room. She held on tight to him as if she felt his heart slipping away. She didn't know what to say, she just thought she'd let her feelings speak for her, she wanted to protect him from his pain. Still unwilling to turn around, athrun touched and then held onto cagallis hands, tracing her fingers which still clung tightly around his chest. In her mind she was afraid of being alone. In his mind he already was, silence speaks a thousand words, and it was about to be broken. She felt as if she owed him an explanation. As Athrun bowed his head, her soft lips parted as she exhaled to speak,

"Athrun.. I…"

"**Don't!" **Cagalli was startled. The tension in his voice scared her into silence once again.

"I'd rather not see you and feel you there. Then see you there and can't be near you"

He didn't want to express his feelings to her. What he _wanted_ was to suffer alone, for the both of them. _**He didn't want**_** her** to see the pain and fear upon his face. _**He didn't want her**_ to feel the sadness that engulfed his heart and _**he didn't want**_ to show her the tears that fell from his face like the cold night rain.

*tip-tap, tip- tap*

Was the sound of the rain falling against the window.

*tap, tap, tap*

Was the sound that athruns tears made as they hit the floor. All too familiar was the sound of her lovers heart, and not willing to remove her hand, Cagalli quietly crawled underneath athrun's arm. As she sat on the floor looking up at him, _he had no choice_, but to see her because he was looking down. She wept as she saw the sorrow upon his face and stood up to meet him. She caressed his cheek with one hand and washed away his tears with her kisses. Her forehead met with his, _he had no choice_, and ever so cunning she forced him to face her without him even realizing it. Athrun became overwhelmed with anxiety,

"_I can't, I'm afraid, I'm scared_. I can never save the people who matter most to me….I know you want to go back and I understand if that's what you feel you need to do, but I don't think that I can accept it…I mean I don't know if I can stop myself, _from_ stopping you _from_ going… I'm trying to deal with that..My mind tells me to let you do what you wish and be there to support you. But-" Athrun put his hands on the sides of her head forcing her to stare straight into his emerald green eyes "My heart says to take you far away to the plants where I'll never risk losing you again."

"you idiot!" trying to be strong cagalli smiled before frowning "you never lost me, You can't because you're a part of me, _my other half_, and even when you're feeling down, or sad I'm going to always be there" That's what she wanted to believe and that's what she told him. She hadn't told him about the severity of her headaches. She assumed they were somehow connected to the missing memories of the past week. She knew if she said something he'd want to protect her and what she wanted was to protect him. She didn't want to go back to the island just for the sake of going. She needed to go there because something was drawing her to it, something she lost and it wasn't just her mother. Aside from all that's happened the fact still remained that the pain was getting worse. Even though, she remembered a little more each time, at what expense. She worried that one day she would pass out and not wake up. She made up her mind. She would go to the island but athrun would not know for a time, and by that time she would have returned home to him. This she decided as she was held hostage by the splendor of his eyes.

Emotionaly exhausted they both kneeled on the floor together embracing each other. Holding her tightly with her head on his shoulder, Athrun stroked her hair,

"I'm very lucky to of met you…I don't know where I would be right now if it wasn't for you…After the war I could see more clearly, and I realized that I didn't need to search anymore and that I had found what I needed all along. I thought it was war, I thought it was battle, but it was…. _You….because in the end…regardless of the outcome…I was always fighting…. for you", as Athrun tried to loosen the hold to kiss her. Cagalli stopped him by holding onto him tighter. Athrun didn't know what to make of it _

"_What's wrong?", he asked_

"ahhhh it's nothing, It's just …that….I'm …emotionally drained right now and I wanted to stay like this for a while" Athruns eyes drew wide for a moment, and then closed while starring at the moon

"Alright then"

Cagalli didn't want to separate from his embrace, because the truth of the matter was that, while was in his arms she had another migrane. Only this time, _this_ _one_ was so sharp that not only didn't she think she would be able to stand on her own. It had caused her nose to bleed and she couldn't risk him noticing, not now.

"I know" she said simply "I know" was all she could say……

Back at level D topaz was preparing her escape. She had overheard a couple of the guards' mention that the night duty shift was going to be light due to the weather. It's now or never she thought, after the last guard finished his rounds, and at the stroke of midnight topaz watched as he boarded the elevator to the next level. She used the card left to her by the infiltrator to open her cell door. Going down would be too dangerous, but going up would allow her to plan a better route for escape. As she walked down the hallway she passed by a box that harbored a fire hose. She used the fire ax within the box to help cut it free from its harness. She didn't want to risk encountering a guard on the elevator and since naturals can be somewhat lazy she thought it best to take the stairs. Considering morganrate was mostly an underground facility the distance from the rooftop to the ground was not that great she just needed to get half way down the side of the building and then she could jump the rest of the way. Once she made it to the rooftop she realized that she couldn't have planned it more perfectly. The weather was so bad that there was roughly no visibility meaning~ no one would be able to see her running or walking, a big grin drew across her face. Tying one end of the hose around the leg of a satellite antenna she was able to lower herself. She pulled her plan off without a hitch, but there was only one problem she neglected, _and that was the changing of the guard at the gate. _Once she reached the ground she stood in the shadows with her back up against the wall and then she noticed a bright light from the side gate. The guard in the booth was checking the I.D. of the person in a red car. Topaz had an idea of jumping in the car as the driver drove past and taking him hostage with the ax she had the forethought to bring. Just as she was about to act on her idea she had to quickly retreat back into the shadows and abandon it. She recognized the person in the car all too well~ it was Shin.

"Dammit!" She said to herself.

So she waited in the pouring rain for 30 minutes. That is until the guards changed posts. She watched and watched, until the guard turned his back, 3.3 seconds was all it took for her to jump the fence. That was the easy part, leaving the area would be much harder. She struggled as she walked two blocks before collapsing, face first on the sidewalk in the rain.

"Is this my destiny to die…alone?", she said before loosing consciousness.

Hours had passed before a dark blue limousine had pulled up alongside her. The patron of the vehicle had lowered his back window before echoing to the driver.

"It's her, pick her up and set her inside. If she lives she may still be of some use to me"

As the driver picked her up, Topaz noticed for a brief second out of the slit of her eye a man with blond hair.

"_Azi, is that you?"_ She whispered, and then her body went limp before reaching the car.

_Back at the mansion, Lacus was having trouble sleeping as she stared up at the rain taping on her glass ceiling. Kira pretended to be asleep, as usual he always seemed to know what lacus needs before she does. He rolled over and cradled her in his arms with hopes that it would help her sleep._

"_Don't worry lacus, Athrun is with her and I'm sure that everything will be just fine"_

"_I know, but ~ I just have this feeling that she is not telling us somthing-" Kira began to stroke her hair, and within a few moments she fell asleep._

"_Lacus you think too much about other people and not enough about yourself. I guess that's why I love you so much" and then kira looked up at the ceiling as they lay in bed "I'll share the responsibility with you lacus, afterall, we are in this together………….." , said kira as lacus lay sleeping like a baby.._

At the guest house cagalli and athrun broke from their embrace by this time the fire had gone out, so she felt fairly confident that athrun wouldn't notice the blood. Cagalli quickly wiped her nose,

"Athrun…I'm going to lie down"

"Sure, I'm just going to stand her for a few moments and then I'll join you. It's been a rough night and I'm sure that we can both use the rest"

"_Right_", as cagalli lay in bed she thought about what she was going to do next. She needed an alibi an accomplice to pull off her disappearing act and she knew the perfect person…

_Athrun stood at the window smiling at the moon, happy about the outcome of the evening. When he put his hand over his left shoulder to massage a pain he felt from leaning against the window earlier. He began to feel something wet. The only light in the room was that which shown through the window from the moon. As he moved closer to the moonlight to look at his hand ~what he saw was unexpected. It wasn't cagallis' tears. It was her blood…. Speechless he stood frozen shivering, like ice on a window pane…_

"_**Whaaat....What does this mean????" **_


	16. Chapter 16: Faith and Reason

**Chapter 16:** _**Faith and Reason**_

_**He starred at his hand trying to draw the line between faith and reason. All sorts of thoughts traveled through his mind, including those memories he wanted to forget. He remembered the time when they were in the plants fighting against the alliances extended. He thought of the moment when cagalli hit her head against the cockpit wall only to catch her as she fell into his lap. It was her blood that he saw on his hand then, and it's her blood on his hand now. More recent he thought of their wedding day when he stood frozen in disbelief, feeling sorry for himself because of all the power he had ~ he did nothing to save her. Athrun clenched his bloodied hand in a fist as he was overcome with the feelings of shame and despair as he reminisced of that day.**_

_**He wanted to run to her and comb every inch of her body, but then reason took over and he snapped back to reality."Wait!! If something was seriously wrong with her, If she were hurt or injured she would tell me right? Or would she?" these were the questions he asked himself, before coming to the conclusion "I have no choice, I've got to have faith, so that I won't loose her" with his hand still clenched he placed it to his heart as he looked over at the bed making sure the blanket was rising. Letting out a small sigh of relief he walked to the bathroom to wash his hands. Afterwards he took one last somber look at himself in the mirror before quietly crawling into bed. **_

_**Athrun laid on his back looking up at the ceiling thinking, wondering and contemplating on whether or not to wake her. Un be known to Athrun, Cagalli laid on her side half-sleeping waiting to see if he'd come to bed, and wondering if she'd left a trace of her secret behind. Then out of the blue he was caught off guard by something unexpected. A sound he hadn't heard in a long time**_

"_**I love you"**_

_**Those soft spoken, gentle words consoled him like nothing else in the world could. It wasn't so much of the words that were being said as it was the person saying them. He couldn't remember the last time he heard them. Athrun closed his eyes as he smiled and then out of nowhere he felt a kiss upon his cheek. He didn't open his eyes again, It was all about the feeling. He never felt more comfort than he did in that moment and he never felt more peace than he did at that point in time. They didn't sleep in each other's arms, but their spirits were in one another's heart. **_

The next morning cagalli went out for a walk in the rose garden, before her marriage she was often busy at cabinet meetings on days like this, however in order to keep the recent tragic events under wraps, so as not to arise suspicion, Athrun thought it best to inform the press and the cabinet that they'd be on a 3 month honeymoon. To give the story more credibility kira and lacus decided to do the same. Knowing this she looked forward to this time apart from her duties, and for the first time in a very long time she wanted to enjoy a walk in the rose garden, that her father had planted for her as a young child. Strolling through the hedges was like walking into the past, however they were so high that she became lost. Being the strong person that she is ~She didn't panic, but instead listened very carefully for the wind hoping it would lead her out. After an hour or so she became frustrated and began to walk briskly, searching frantically for an exit. As she quickened her pace and started running she thought she had heard someone running after her. She ran turning every corner that she could, finding it difficult toseparate fact from fiction. Could this really be happening or was it all in her mind, either way she didn't have time to figure it out. She just shook her head and kept going~ "I won't be trapped again" she kept saying " be it in my mind or anywhere else". The footsteps behind her quickened and she kept running through the hedge maze. Time and time again she would stop and stare, looking, searching quickly for an opening to lead her out of this prison, it was as if she were trapped in a labyrinth with no way out. Closer and closer the footsteps came, and faster and faster cagallis heart beat, she began to panic from anxiety. Was her mind playing tricks on her, or was this really happening? In her buried state of mind she still couldn't tell the difference. She felt that there was no getting away and decided to bury herself deep in one of the rose bush hedges waiting for the perpetrator to pass, praying he would go away. As soon as the footsteps stopped in front of her, she reacted by lunging forward straddling the person to the ground. Only she was forced backward finding herself in the opposite position with a knife above her head, being blinded by the morning sun she turned her head to the side and let out a cry so shrilling that even the birds flew away.

Elsewhere, in the guest house Athrun was sitting alone at the breakfeast table sipping on some coffee when he heard this cry, he knew it all too well. However not only did he hear it, but so did kira and lacus as they too were strolling through the hedge maze on a path from the main house to the guest house. Lacus had a worried look on her face having never heard a sound so terrifying before. _The sound of a person about to die._

"**You wait here lacus, I don't know what I'll run into…I'll go check it out"**

"_but kira"_

"**don't worry I'll be all right" **

He left lacus holding her pink haro, Athrun too was racing in the direction of the scream, only he was entering the maze through the opposite end. Running as if time did not exist, it was mere minutes before he reached the center. He lost all senses when he saw cagalli lying on her back on the ground with a dark haired man wearing a black jacket pinning her down with a knife. He ran behind him and grabbed the hand that held the knife pinching his pressure point forcing him to drop it, and then wrestled the guy to the ground. Athrun couldn't control his anger. After punching him in the face once the intruder put up his hands in defense and begged athrun to stop. Athrun resisted his pleas and continued, every cry and plea was being replaced with his anger he couldn't hear a word.

"NO!! Please wait, Athrun! It's me" Before he could make another punch he paused to see clearly who it was , and intentionally missed the next blow punching the ground next to his ear instead.

"_**WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!! I…I…..I…. Ought to kill you for this!"**_

"_**ATHRUN STOP IT!!!"**__ yelled kira as he helped a shaken cagalli to her feet. "Are you alright"_

"I'm fine kira, thanks" Athrun stood up from sitting on shin and helped him up with his unclenched hand. However when he turned around and saw blood stained spots all over cagalli's clothes he couldn'tcontain himself. He turned around and hit shin with a uppercut so hard that he fell backwards onto the ground. Looking down at shin he yelled,

"**YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER!"**

"**I KNOW AND I'M SORRY, WILL YOU HEAR ME OUT FOR A MINUETE" **

"_**ATHRUN I'M FINE!**__! It's my fault for standing in the thorns" _as shin attempted to walk over and apologize to cagalli, athrun reached out his hand and stopped him in his track.

"**Don't go near her, haven't you done enough." **

"_This isn't the time to be rude, everyone makes mistakes, even you athrun" he glared over at the person standing next to kira in the pink skirt and blouse._

"_**Lacus" he said unhappily "Are you going to tell me that I was wrong? He didn't stop to think before he attacked. He could of killed her….is that what you want",**_ said a still very angry, upset, and discouraged Athrun. Cagalli walked closer to him wearing white shorts and a blue blouse that was now torn to shreds from the thorns, with one hand she pulled athruns face toward hers and grabbed his free had with the other as if she were going to prevent him from hurting someone else. He kept his eyes closed pretending not to see.

"_Athrun please look at me I'm alright nothing happened to me" _He reached for her hand that held his face and snatched his other hand from hers. She gritted her teeth..as he pulled it away from his cheek_,_

"Really, If your fine, then why are you in so much pain!?,…You can't pretend forever cagalli at some point your going to have to let someone in!" As he began to walk away shin yelled after him,

"_Topaz has escaped, Do you still want to leave her now?! Or were all those pleas and vows of love for her just part of your imagination filled with lies?!"_

"_**You don't know a Dam thing! Trust me when I tell you that you don't want to do this right now!…**__I need to be alone…..before I say something… that I can't take back" _that being said he never turned around, he just walked briskly away.

"Lacus I need to go after him, Athrun is not only my friend, but right now he is also my family…and he's having a tough time…I need to go find him. I'm sorry lacus..I'll see you later…look after cagalli"

_Kira rushed off to find his friend leaving lacus holding pink haro with her face flushed the same color. For the first time lacus felt a little beside herself not having straight answers to the problems that plagued her family, Cagalli felt a bit embarrassed and Shin felt like an __**idiot**__._

"Look I…. could do for a hot shower and a fresh change of clothes and considering the circumstances and my appearance…I real..ly don't feel like being mauled over be the servants, so I think I'm going to return to the guesthouse."

"That sounds great cagalli …I'd love to tag along…It has been a long time since we've spent any time together" Looking up at the sky cagalli turned away from the others

"_you really don't have to come along lacus" _

"No I want to, and besides….I have to because I promised kira that I would look after you, and you did get lost. "

"_**We..llll I…yaaa"**_

"I think the best thing for us to do would be to stick together and my pink haro has many talents and I'm sure it can lead us out of here. This would ensure that we don't get lost again"

"Well I guess you have a point, we should get going then" As they started walking they heard an extra pair of feet.

"What the hell!….SHIN..Just where in the hell do you think you're going, haven't you caused enough trouble for one day"

"Look…Cagalli I said I was sorry! And besides it's not as if I could join the others"

"**Fine!!** You can tag along"

"_Really that's great" Shin was so excited at cagalli's remark that he leaned forward to hug her, squeezing her with joy, and before she could let out a scream he covered her mouth with his hand, and as soon he let go cagalli slugged him and then she slumped down._

"_**YOU IDIOT!! DON'T YOU SEE THE PAIN THAT I'M IN STOP TOUCHING ME!!"**_

"_Sorry cagalli"_

"_**Look ..**__Just because I'm not crying ..it doesn't mean that I'm not _**suffering!! **_**I'm…just trying not to show it.!!."**_

"I'm sorry maybe I should go .."

"No don't , if you do that everyone will start freaking out again"

"_At least let me help you up then…to make up for all the trouble I caused…"_

"_Fine but..let meee touch you..I think I know _**where **_it hurts and _**where**_ it doesn't more so than you"_

"_right" Shin walked over and knelt down and cagalli rested her hands upon his shoulder, using it as a prop to help her stand._

"_haro has found the way, let's walk onward" _

"_Right!" said cagalli and shin together while trotting along to the guest house , bickering the whole way._

"_cagalli maybe I should"_

"**SHUT IT!!"**

"_I was just going to make a suggestion…"_

"_**And I told you don't touch me!"**_

"_Sorry, again about that"_

"**yeah I bet!" **_And it went on and on like this all the way to the guest house._

Elsewhere, kira had caught up with athrun sitting on a bench outside of the hedge maze gazing outward at the ocean. Watching a seagull catch a fish and then fly upward to the sky. He heard kira walk up behind him,

"You know kira I'd Iike to be like that bird someday, flying free with no worries, no fears…and nothing in your path to prevent you from flying anywhere you want to go"

"uhm, but even birds can cross paths with objects that aren't suppose to be there, even their enemies friend or foe and often those things can't be prevented."

I know but …kira…I'm not any closer now to finding the basterd who shot her then I was the day of our wedding…, and when I saw someone on her …I….I ..just snapped. I thought that perhaps this was the same person sending someone else to finish the job….I should be out there looking, searching, hunting the jerk down…, but then there's cagalli. I'm afraid that if I stray too far from her, for to long, that I might loose her for good in one way or another"

Kira moved closer to athrun still sitting on the bench, he placed his hand on his shoulder, and looked up at the sky.

"but your forgetting one thing athrun that bullet was meant for me…, but when I think about how she was taken at the hospital I can't help but wonder if we were both suppose to die that day. But giving up is not what I do best, neither is chasing after trouble, but when it comes to the people I care about…I can't help but fight"

"_yeah I feel the same way, I guess were both like those birds in the sky ~not searching for trouble, but running into it"_

"_um hum, but remember athrun, birds of a feather flock together and now that we're in the same family their isn't nothing we can't do __**together**__. You're not alone in this athrun, because I'm here for you"_

"_Yeah thanks"_

Athrun stood from his chair and turned to kira with a gleeful face.

"**Where do we start?"**

"With mariellia"

"Kira! Mariaellia, what does she have to do with this"

"She was the reporter on site at the wedding remember, she kept the gruesome footage from the maine stream media, but she also got complete shots of the crowd…, and since the wedding was invitation only with all the main dignitaries arriving with their guest I'm sure someone Is bound to jump out at us."

"Thanks I don't know why I didn't think of this before"

"I was coming over to tell you when the incident happened, and if it's ok with you I already contacted her and she's agreed to meet us at morganrate"

"That's great…uh..**Shouldn't** we tell the girls,…I'll send a message to lacus along the way, Right now I think we should get going, before it gets too late"

"_yeah, I think your right"_

Back at the guest house coming down the hallway was cagalli dressed in blue jeans and a white tee-shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was drying the ends with a towel. At the table was shin and lacus drinking some coffee and nibbling on some scones. Cagalli sat down to join,

"It's been so long since I've had coffee,…" she took a long sip "ummm and commandor walfelds at that"

"Yes it's really become quite popular" said lacus

"yes, Orb has been known for many things, but coffee is defiantly a first. Shin you mentioned_ earlier that topaz has escaped"_

"_Yea and what of it…I mean it wasn't meant for your ears…I thought you were her and …….thought that I could stop you …I mean her that is.. Considering how fond she was of athrun. I'm sorry cagalli I didn't mean it that way"_

"_It's ok, it can't be helped, the fact of the matter is I was gone for a week. I had more questions that I wished to know the answers to, but …everything happens for a reason….I just wish I knew what those reasons were." _Lacus and shin just looked at each other pondering their own thoughts and speculations_ "Has anyone located her yet?"_

"_No their still looking. We weren't able to question her fully, so their really isn't anything that we can charge her with. I was on my way to tell athrun …..when I encountered you…Again I'm…sorr…"_

"_Forget it no harm done, at this point I'd rather not think about it and forget the whole thing ever happened"_

"_Right lacus?" cagalli looks over and see's an empty chair "I'll be right back shin"_

"_uh …ok" She walks to a room at the end of the hallway and finds lacus napping on the couch holding a snoring pink haro. She smiles and then notices haro projecting a digital message in his sleep that read_

_**Lacus gone to morganrate with athrun, will return in the morning… kira**_

_Cagalli thought of waking lacus, but saw how calm and peaceful she looked sleeping and decided against it. She walked back to shin and sat down at the table._

"_Did you find her?"_

"_Yeah"_

"_Where was she?"_

"_Sleeping like a baby" cagalli said with a big grin on her face "Shin I need your help with something"_

"_**You!…need my help?!"**__ He looks around as if someone were watching _**"Is this a joke?!"**

_Cagalli klonks him on the head with her hand_

"**Ow!!! What did you do that for!!"**

"**It was long overdue for **_**ACTING**_** like an idiot,**_ The way I see it you owe me after today"_

"_Ok then I'll hear your plea tomorrow…" He got up to leave and then cagalli gave him the evil eye and he slowly sat back down._

"_ok, let's hear it"_

"_I wan't you to take me back to island where I think I was being held captive" Shins mouth dropped and his eyes grew wide, and he stood up out of his chair._

"_YOU __**THINK!! YOU MEAN YOU DON"T KNOW?! NO WAY!!!**__ I'm not trying to die early, I still want to get married and have children someday and __**that won't happen if athrun kills me first**__" Shin glanced over at cagalli and saw a solemn blank expression on her face. Then he sat back down and crossed his arms._

"_Alright, what do you want me to do?"_

"_It's simple athrun and kira won't be back until tomorrow morning, all I need is for you to get me to the island and leave the rest to me."_

"This plan sounds ridiculous, and where do you suppose we get the aircraft?"

"_From the hangar beneath the mansion"_

"And what if were spotted"

"_We won't be…if we leave tonight"_

"And what about lacus…"

"_right lacus….." cagalli looked perplexed._

"_Ah, ha forgot that little detail, and just think _**I was about to risk my life!"**

"_Lacus will be just fine" cagalli and shin turned their heads toward the hallway.._

"_Uh.. lacus Just how long have you been standing there?" _

"_Long enough cagalli" Shin began to sweat "I must say that I'm very disappointed that you two didn't decide to include me in the plan."_

"**Huh?!"**_ said a still stunned cagalli and shin_

"_I must admit that regardless of what happens, cagalli I know that you'll keep trying until you get back to the island. Even though, I feel that you should let kira and athrun assist you, I also feel that you'll be in better hands with shin than you would be alone. I'll run interference with the servants and our husbands, but you must promise me that you'll be back by tomorrow evening"_

"_**Lacus,…Why??"**_

"_Because I know what it's like to have to do something that only __**you**__ feel that __**you **__can do, besides this way is safer. It's better than you running off on your own" she chuckles_

"_Right"_

"_Well, we can't leave till night fall, so we might as well lay out a plan"_

_The trio then returned to their seats at the table to design a strategy._

**In a penthouse suite on the other side of the island**_. Topaz was lying down on a bed with a young man sitting next to her in a chair with a cane. As she came to she sat up in bed. _

"_Azi you're here!"_

"**And I told you not to call me that!"**

"_Bu..t… there's no one around."_

"It doesn't matter, for appearances sake you need to get use to it. Did you get what I asked you for?"

"_Of course, you know I did, when have I ever failed you?"_

"Hum, your right..let's not develop habits that die hard shall we, now where is it..?"

"_Where's the cure you promised me, you know the drug that's going to cure me of my headaches, the one that's going to enable me to live the life of a normal human being??"_

" oh…That one….It's simple_" Azi got up from his chair, walked over to topaz and wrapped his hand around her neck. He starred until her glistening golden eyes until they turned vibrant yellow. _**"Let's not forget that I'm the one in control and I will not be dictated to"**_ Topaz began to struggle_**" I can snap your neck at any moment like a twig and their isn't a dam thing you could do about it" **_struggling to breath she grabbed onto his hands trying hard to free herself from his hold __**" Do I make myself clear?!.. Oh I forgot you can't speak,…. Let me help you with that"**__ He turned her loose and she coughed like no tomorrow._

"_I …I..made a deal with the devil…"_

"**You give me too much credit my dear. I'm just reminding you of whose side of the bargain needs to be fulfilled first…NOW GET ME THAT DATA OR FORGET ABOUT YOUR LIFE!" **

The data was her insurance policy. She left it in a safe place, at least she thought she did. Topaz had a double insurance policy. If anything should ever happen to her, then it would surely be found one way or another. She looked out the window up at the blue sky,

"I just want to live is it that hard to believe, I just want a life to call my own, Unlike my predecessors I have no desire to take over or destroy the world, none of those things matter to me**~ just my life**. Even if I have to manipulate him to get it!" mumbled topaz to herself.

Azi was reading the latest news watching to make sure he didn't damage his latest commodity.

"Hum, did you say something my dear?"

"Anything you want my darling" she struggled to smile, _**but in the back of her mind she was plotting his demise.**_

_**As evening approached, Athrun and kira were still at morganrate going through file footage. And lacus was clinging to pink haro watching cagalli and shin fly off into the moonlit sky toward the island cove.**_

"_**Oh please, Shin protect cagalli return home safely until then, I'll wait for you both"**_


	17. Chapter 17: Internal Confliction

_**Chapter 17: Internal Confliction**_

"Yellow and blue make green, Yellow and blue make green _ahhh_." Sighed Topaz as she looked at herself in the vanity mirror repeating her primary colors. She had just recently come out of the shower from dying her hair black and put in dark blue contacts to make her eyes an opaque green.

"Today is the day I'm going to begin taking my life back" Azi had left earlier that morning and she was a girl on a mission. She needed to get that data back, but it wasn't going to be easy, as she brushed her shoulder length hair she reminisced of her childhood. She thought of how she got her name at the tender age of five. Ullen told her that her eyes looked like topaz gems with a sleeping dragon inside. He said that staring into them was like looking into the blade of a double edge sword. One side exposed his true self and the other revealed the restless spirit within him; hence forth he kept her by his side, as if she were a mirror that he could use to see inside himself. He cared for her more than Via did, but loved her less than any memory she could treasure. She remembered the moment she discovered that she was a clone, a genetically enhanced manufactured human being with no beginning or end. The person she called father utilized her as a test subject for the majority of her life, idolizing her as his greatest creation. Although she didn't realize it then she knows better now. She was his scientific breakthrough a prodigy, he always referred to her as his one and only, after all, she was the first one created, but the last one born. And he was the only person that made her feel somewhat human in the least. **Topaz stared blankly into the mirror.**

"_Mother…." _

Via was the person she wanted to call mother but never could, not because she didn't want to, but because Via **never** allowed it. Instead she would often say as a consolation, "I didn't give birth to you, and you're not my natural child, but I respect you **none-the –less**." This was what she'd always say, but never let Topaz forget it, always using her to do her bidding when it suited her interest. They looked after and complimented each other in the gravest circumstances. Via ensured Topaz wasn't mistreated, and in return she became her eyes and ears. However, oddly enough they shared a similar fate, they were both trapped. Only Via was in a different prison-one that she created on her own built from love, and topaz was in one made especially for her.

**She began to put on her lipstick….**

_She thought about how she looked human, but didn't feel human, Acting human, never showing her true-self. That was a no, no, expressing one's true emotions was a sign of weakness something which she was far from…_

_**Except for that one time that she slipped**_. The time when she realized unexpectedly that she could actually feel something for someone else who didn't expect anything in return. Someone who didn't know or care who she was or where she came from, she'll never forget that moment. It was the day athrun told her that he loved _**her**_. How she longed to hear those words, even if they weren't real, but she often wondered as she did so many times since then- How much did he truly know during the period she was portraying cagalli? She never had the chance to ask him.

She wanted so much for his feelings for her to be real that she could taste it. She often thought about crossing his path to see if he could feel her presence, tempting fate she called it. Even if he discovered who she was and tried to kill her, it would be ok, because at least his attention would be focused on **her** and not Cagalli. The thought was so tempting that she bit her lip in excitement and didn't notice it until she felt the warm blood slide down her chin. She laughed aloud, but not because the idea was silly, but because she wanted it to happen. _**But**_ then she wondered what it would be like if he were really hers_**, for keeps**_. She desired for him to care for her as _**herself **_topaz, and not as cagalli, she wanted _**him**_, needed _**him**_, lusted for _**him, **_desired _**him**_, no idol thought could quell the passion she was feeling right now. She drew a heart shape in lipstick and kissed the mirror. Athrun brought out the best in her and cagalli brought out the worst.

At the thought of cagalli she broke the mirror with her fist.

She always worried that she would never be truly free. She promised herself a long time ago that she would be no one's puppet, but would do whatever she could to become a puppet master. However she had strings, not seen but they were there.

"_A five day supply, a five day supply was all he gave me, __**that dam basterd**__. He wants me to die, but I'm not a dam genie, and __**I don't**__ make wishes come true" _this she said to herself as she spoke of azi, all while putting on a black leather trench coat over her short black dress. She sighed as she walked out the front door thinking about the daunting tasks that lie ahead.

She not only had to locate her pills that she left behind, but the data as well. Azi promised her a cure, a way to live her life free from her dependence on that blue and white drug, that invisible string that she detested so much.

"**That drug**, _it's my string that needs to be cut_" All of this went through her mind as she continue to walk up a long winding road, strolling until she reached the back door of a house painted of brown shaded earth tones.

***knock, knock***

"Hello, may I help you"

"Yes, I'm the new maid sent here by the Orb servants for aristocracy agency"

"Come right in, we were waiting for you" Topaz entered with an evil grin on her face

"Let the games begin" she muffled under her breath

***The door shuts behind her* **

_**Back at morganrate**_ kira and Athrun had closed themselves off in a private office. Unable to withstand the fatigue miriallia had left for home some time ago. After "un-dumping Dearka" a year ago, the two of them often made frequent shuttle trips back and forth between the plants and Orb. This weekend was his turn, so she wanted to rest up. Dearka loved her poached eggs, because he couldn't make them himself, and detested with a passion the taste of military cafeteria food. She often joked about how he was a coordinator that lived to fail at cooking, and vowed to teach him.-_**but **_little did she know that he was actually faking it, it was his manipulative excuse for spending extra time with her, but only Athurn knew the truth of _**that**_ matter and promised not to tell. Athurn laughed at the thought of this as he was going through the video footage, because he knew that Dearka was sooo good at getting people to do what _**he **_wanted them to do. A victim himself, he too fell into dearka's trap during the first war when he was unable to decide which side to fight with, and of course his choice was Orb, but not without some innocent persuasion courtesy of yours truly Dearka.

Athrun was becoming tired, but decided not to give up, he leaned back in the chair and turned up the volume on the monitor. Kira was sleeping so soundly on the office couch that even a train wreck couldn't wake him. Thirty minutes into the 30th replay of the footage, he heard a sound that was a voice from the grave. It was only for a brief moment, but it was there, the sound of azriel's voice. It had to be a mistake, he knew he was dead, _**he had to be**_, the world was too peaceful for him _**not to be**_. He played the footage again and again. Filtering out the background voices in the distance until he could clearly hear the person say,

"When you have enemies, you shoot them", and then a gunshot could be heard in the distance. Only to everyone else it sounded like someone popping a Champaign bottle in celebration, but athrun knew the true meaning of the sound, it rippled through every fiber of his being, again and again each one deeper than the last, every time he heard it he could imagine her wounds and the pain she must have been feeling. He felt a sympathetic emotion awaken in him accompanied by anger as he wished yet again that he was the one on the other end of that gun instead of _**her**_. As he continued to watch the footage, He kept wondering why he didn't notice it before, and noticed it now, he needed a second opinion. He decided to try and wake kira from his slumber.

"Kira…" Athrun shook him and then called out to him again "kira! Kira!"

"Lacus, I'll listen to your plan tomorrow" Athrun appeared to look stunned, as kira rolled over on the couch.

"What the hell is he saying? Am I over exhausted or is he talking in his sleep??" he was perplexed. Athrun shook kira again, **"Kira, you've got to listen to this!!"**

Athrun watched as kira crossed his arms "It's ok lacus, go to sleep, no need to worry, I'll watch over you and protect you all night" Athrun looked baffled, and then he bent over and whispered into kira's ear,

"Ok….but will you make love to me while you're doing it?"

Kira sat up so quickly that athrun didn't have time to move out of the way and got knocked onto the floor in the process.

"Dammit Kira! "

"Sorry …I…I…" kira couldn't find the words to say what he was thinking "I'm sorry…I…Just" Athrun couldn't contain himself, one look at kira's cherry colored face was enough to make him forget all about what he was waking him up for.

"Kira lifted his arm and scratched his head to break the ice, "Sorry I fell asleep, was there something you needed to tell me….uh did you find something"

"uhh ..Yea..That! I almost forgot … Listen to this. Don't look..I mean …watch… uhh..**Just listen**" Athrun played the footage for kira. When he heard the voice he could hardly believe **his** ears,

"There must be some sort of mistake….Azriel was aboard the dominon when the Arc Angel destroyed it…There's no way he could be alive.?!" Athrun and kira were lost in thought, they couldn't fathom the idea that azriel could of survived.

"Athrun, even though it sounds like his voice on the tape the fact of the matter is the image is distorted, so this tells us nothing, but it does confirm that the one responsible for all of this was there at the wedding. "

"Yeah, I'll ask Mr. Kisaka for a guest list"

"That's great Athrun and I'll run our findings by miriallia later on and see if she has any information about blue cosmos."

"Blue cosmos why? They haven't been active for years. Jibril was the last head of the organization and he was killed escaping the lunar base on the moon"

"I'm not entirely convinced…Just because you kill a man doesn't mean you kill the ideal..Orb is a testament to that~"

"_In the meantime perhaps we should go home and rest properly…After yesterday ...I'm feeling a little bit guilty about the way I treated cagalli, but wheather she forgives me or not, I won't take back what I did and..and Given half a chance… __**I'll do it again**__" Athrun clenched his fist yet again._

_**They arrived at the island cove in the middle of the night**_, however, cagalli decided to save her investigating until morning. Shin slept in the stealth's' cockpit so that he could listen to the sensors in case an enemy approached. Cagalli slept in the open cave where she spent her first night with athrun six years earlier. She chose this spot on the island, because it was the only way she could be close to him even though they were so far apart. As dawn was slowly approaching she felt the need to stretch her legs. She walked around the room tracing the wall with her fingertips all while revisiting the past. She stopped as her fingers felt a bullet hole in the rock wall. Smiling gently she embraced the memory of athrun shielding her with his body, after she threw the gun giving up on her plan of shooting him. Comforted by the memory she grabbed her blanket and laid against this wall as she had did so long ago hoping to dream a good dream until sun-up, however, Instead of a beautiful dream she had a nightmare. Screaming aloud in her sleep, she woke up to the touch of shins' hand. He had heard her cry out and instinctively ran to her aide.

"You cried out in your sleep …are you …_**ok?" **_

"I'm fine….." she was sweating profusely from her forehead and her hair was soaked and wet. Once again shin expressed his concern.

"Hey are you sure you're ok?...You look like you could collapse at any moment. " Still covering up in her green military blanket cagalli stood up, took two steps, and collapsed forward into shins arms. Then at that very instance an alarm went off in the stealth cockpit, someone or something was approaching their location. Shin lightly slapped cagalli on the cheeks trying to force her to come around,

"Hey…Hey…Cagalli you've got to get up**!.... Dammit**!_** I **__can't carry her and fight at the same time!__** Shit!"**_

Shin began to look around and ascertain his surroundings, and then he heard the stealth voice computer say, "ONBOARD AUTOMATIC VESSEL IDENTIFYER ACTIVATED, 3 GINS APPROACHING, 2 EARTHFORCES CARRIER Id codes listed, emergency camouflage activated, converting to stealth mode"

The gundam then collapsed and transformed into an air assault unit. Shin wanted to carry cagalli inside the craft, but he couldn't see the unit, somehow, someway he had to make her come around again.

"_**There goes my future wife and children..That's it I refuse to have things end like this!" **_

Becoming infested with anger, He started slapping cagalli more but a little bit harder, she began to stir and come around only her cheeks were now red like roses. As upset as shin was his concern for her showed. He helped her to her feet. She walked over to the stealth and typed in code 1029, afterwards she turned to shin and said,

"We only have 15 sec stop wasting time and get in" in aerial mode the stealth had a double cockpit. Shin pulled up the information on the earth vessels and 3 gins...

"I don't get it…Are they planning something? Could they be working together? Are they imposters? **That's it Cagalli we're getting out of here!!**"

"**NO!! We can't!!"**

"**What do you mean we can't!"**

"I still haven't done what I came for"

"_**Let me get this straight ...I put my life on the line and now you want to bury me!?!? Is that it?**_! Look if athrun doesn't kill me those guys **will,** and in case you haven't noticed not only are we not equipped for an aerial fight or battle, we have no idea as to the type of fire power those earth forces vessels have. **We've got to get out of here!"** As shin began to prepare the stealth for takeoff cagalli override the control panel opened the hatch and jumped out. Shin being so focused on the situation at hand didn't notice until it was too late.

She ran and ran until she came to a door guarded by some trees, as she stared at it she had a flashback of the door. It was the same door she traveled through the night she arrived. She opened it and saw a dark hallway, stopping for a moment she took a big breath and walked inside. Having the forethought to use the sunlight as a guide she intentionally left the door open. As she approached the end of the corridor a light came on. She found herself face to face with a man, medium build with blond hair and piercing ice blue eyes.

"I knew you'd find your way back here"

"Who the hell are you?!?!"

"For a girl you're pretty brave"

Cagalli you are going to be the one to right all of the wrongs I've made, with you the world can be… saved…….." That word rung in her ears as a sharp piercing pain flooded throughout her head accompanied by an echoing of his words forcing her to her knees. She started to remember beginning with a moment that took place further down the hall on the right. It was of her mother standing over her bed saying, "you are going to be the one to save the coordinated race and the solution is inside of you, but if ullen has his way he will destroy them, fight cagalli, fight to stay alive and then prevail" she then began to resort back to reality..

"Let's go my daughter, lets fight to save the world" feeling shocked, confused and light headed cagalli asked,

"What….wha…t do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said now come with me cagalli"

"I ..I ..can't …"

"What do you mean you can't?!" said ullen extending his hand, don't you want to get to know your father…?"

"My fa..ther….I…..impossible you..r…."

"**Right here in front of you**…now come..we have a lot to catch up on" just as cagalli reached for his hand they were interrupted

"**Back Away now!" **

**Everyone was frozen in a dead silence………..**

Back at the mansion Lacus was sitting at the dining room table looking at some photos on her laptop of her wedding day. After going through about 20 she stopped at one unparticular, before she had a chance to look at it properly a maid brought her over some tea. Just as Lacus turned to take the tea from her hands her elbow knocked the computer from the table. To her surprise the maid caught it,

"OH…my what excellent reflexes! ..I'm so sorry, how clumsy of me."

"It's ok ...I aim to please" a still embarrassed Lacus starred at the maid

"I'm sorry have we met before? I feel like I've known you for a long time, but I can't recall ever seeing you either now… or in the past."

"No…we haven't …I'm sorry miss…my name is Nina, I'll be taking Evelyn's place while she's away on a family emergency"

"Very well then ...I'm lacus, lacus clyne and I'm pleased to meet you" Lacus extended her hand and realized the maid was still holding the laptop, with the sleight of hand Nina deleted the photo before handing it back to lacus allowing the screen to go black.

"I'm so sorry, I must of accidently turned it off as I caught it"

"It's perfectly alright, I'm just glad it wasn't damaged, because I've yet to make copies of my precious memories", said lacus with an angelic look on her face "I hate to drink and run, but if you'll excuse me I think I hear the flowers calling me" Lacus got up from her chair and walked to the terrace, birdy came flying through the air and landed on her shoulder. Lacus looked at birdy and said,

"_**Hum..Kira must be home" she then gazed out at the horizon "Shin, cagalli, please hurry home safely" **_

_Kira and athrun left in separate vehicles, Thus they returned home separately, as Nina cleared away lacus tea cup from the table she opened the window and looked out. She saw athrun in black jeans and a black t-shirt carrying his jacket on his shoulder. He shifted his head from side to side allowing his hair to flow and the sun to bask on his face with his eyes closed he did not see the person looking down at him._

_She saw his eyes for but a moment before they closed, biting her finger she began to fantasize of her and athrun in the same bed together. A taste of blood from her finger reminded her of her mission, she grinned,_

"_hum…not now, but maybe you'll be my consolation prize …." Nina turned around from the window_

"_Consolation prize? Is there a fair in town?"_

"_Ah …I'm sorry…no…my..ah ..Boyfriend stood me up and I was just thinking that he needed to apologize to me in a big way!" Nina was hoping that she sounded convincing_

"_Who are you?" Nina bowed, _

"_I'm sorry, please forgive me sir my name is Nina."_

"_No need to apologize…I'm kira" Nina bowed again_

"_Master kira !! I'm so sorry for being so rude!!__**komenasai**__!!"_

"_It's ok really excuse me.." as kira left to put away his helmet Nina sighed a sigh of relief, she was sure that if her true identity were ever discovered beforehand her life would be in danger, and although she was confident she could take them all out, she had no desire to deal with the aftermath._

"_For now my objective is the data and maybe I can get a bonus" This she said as she played, fiddling with a locket around her neck._

Back at the Island cove cagalli broke the silence by yelling,

"**Stop!" **she had regained enough of her bearings to become aware of what was going on around her, now kneeling on one knee she put her hand up forcefully telling shin not to shoot.. Ullen reached out his hand yet again,

"That's my girl now let's go" cagalli looked upward starring into his eyes, he looked into hers and watched the blood flow from her nostrils.

"I'm sorry …I can't go with you"

"What do you mean you …can't?"

"Just that I can't, I have a responsibility to _**my friend's, my family, my country and more importantly my husband!"**_ cagalli began to see the fire in his eyes as he became enraged.

"If you refuse to come willingly then I'll have to take you by force" He then pulled out a gun from behind his back and pointed it in the center of her forehead.

"For the last time! I'm not asking you, I'm telling **you** get up and come with me! **You no longer have a choice!" **

"**You Basterd" yelled shin "You'd kill her?! Your own daughter?!"**

"**Get up cagalli!!"** Ullen smacked her in the face with his gun. In a failed attempt to knock her out blood was now streaming from her lips.

"**I'm sorry, but you'll have to hit a lot harder than that if you expect me to submit to your will!" **

"_**You're beginning to sound like you're crazy bitch of a mother!!**_ I don't have time for this!!" Cagalli became enraged and lunged forward, rushing him, forcing him to the floor. During the struggle the gun dropped. As it fell to the floor it discharged, a bullet ricocheted wounding her father in the in the shoulder. Thinking that she had somehow killed him cagalli quivered, and put her face in her hands. A brief moment later she raised her head and saw him scrambling. She noticed blood flowing down his arm as he stumbled running into a room trying to get away leaving a red trail behind him. She ran to go after him, but was stopped by someone taking hold of her hand. It was shin…

"Forget about him, you idiot we've got to get out of here!! **And please don't run away**" She froze for an instant as she remembered kira saying those exact same words to her aboard the Arc Angel after he had kidnapped her from her wedding to Yuna Roma. She then felt shin tugging and yelling at her

"**Come ON!" **

Together they ran through the brush and the trees until they came to the back side of the cave.

"Athr..run ,…Ath..run"

"**Will you snap out of it cagalli he's not here!! If you keep this up you're going to go insane! **By the way I was proud of you back there …You protected yourself without waiting to be protected by others....." Shin turned to look at her broken body _"Your stronger than you look" _

**_"Hey! What the hells that suppose to mean!"_**

Ignoring her Shin called out "A.I. deactivate camouflage" The stealth then exposed itself then cagalli and shin stood on the cable that hoisted them up into the cockpit. Once inside shin completely powered up the systems,

"Dammit!! In the short time while we were boarding they picked up our location!"

"I'm sorry" said a very stirred and shaken cagalli

"Forget it! This was just what I was trying to avoid! Right now we need to concentrate on getting out of here…Hang in there cagalli.."

_**It started to rain……..**_

_Back in Orb dearka was holding miriallia as they looked out her glass balcony door on the 20__th__ floor of her apartment building. _

"_Dearka?"_

"_Hum…."_

"_It's going to storm…."_

"_Yeah…I know …I can smell the rain…we should close the door" _

"_You know dearka the storm is like two worlds colliding, but after the storm it always rains….It's as if the water is washing away everyone's pain…."_

"_Yeah but I'll keep you dry" dearka held onto mirealla tighter as they both gazed out at the coming rain.._

Kira finally made it to the garage to put away the helmet from his bike when he heard a beeping sound. It was the estates security grid. He walked over to look at the electronic map and noticed the alarm system to the stealth hangar had been deactivated. Fearing the worst he ran down the stairs to its location to look with his very own eyes. It was gone..He stood looking up at the empty space that once held a gundam.

"**Cagalli no....**_**" He shivered fearing the worst**_

_**Elsewhere over the vast ocean on their way back to Orb….Cagalli and shin were being attacked ...**_

"Dammit!"

"Shin we've got to hurry once we get into orbs airspace …I'm sure they'll retreat!!"

"**I know, but these guys are tough! And I can't seem to shake them! This rain makes it easy for us to be spotted…Dammit who are those guys it's unlike any gin I've ever seen!! They're fast!!"**

Cagalli screams **"SHIN!!"**

"Dammit they've locked on" They were fired upon and then the stealth was shredded with beam sabers…

Miriallia and dearka saw the explosion from the balcony window…not knowing what to make of it they were both in shock…

_**Lacus saw a big flash in the night sky, kira was pondering his next move in the hanger, athrun was soundly sleeping in his bed, Nina was enjoying what she thought were fireworks and exactly 1 hr later 2 bodies washed up on the shore only to be discovered by a perfect stranger…**__or was he_


	18. Chapter 18: Revelations

_**Chapter 18: Revelations**_

He just happened to be out strolling along the beach reminiscing of his past when the explosion occurred. He hadn't planned on getting caught in the rain, however, while returning home from a mile and a half walk he came upon a body lying in the sand. He wore a blue jacket, black jeans and white sneakers, his black hair was cut short with long strands covering his right eye. He didn't recognize the person, but he knew the pilots suit all too well. It was a zaft uniform, fear and anger shrouded his face as he clenched both fists. He decided that he wasn't going to help him. He hated zaft, they destroyed his home, his family and took away the better part of his life along with those closest to him.

"If he's meant to live …He'll make it,…by will alone if nothing else.." .

Putting his hands in his pockets he hung his head low, looked down at the wet sand and kept walking. Six feet later he came across another body, if it wasn't for her protruding upper chest he wouldn't of known that it was a girl. She had long blond hair and wore a black pilots suit, even though he didn't recognize her face, he felt the need to help her, not because she was a girl, but because she wasn't from zaft,

"I don't know who you are, or what you're doing here, but whatever the reason…I'm sure it had something to do with him. I guess I'll finally get the chance to be the hero"

He picked her up and carried her to his apartment which was a mile down the road on the fourth floor in the same building as mireallia.

On the other side of the beach another young man stood staring up at the crimson orange sky. Taking his hand out of his brown poncho he pointed his palm upwards testing the rain. He slid off his hood and replied,

"Well, I guess the battle's come to an end….**Theron**." , said the young man with an assertiveness in his voice

"Yes Master?"

"We should start walking back home, I'm thinking of going into town tomorrow….whatever trouble that was here..I'm sure it's gone now..."

After walking thirty minutes with his servant trailing behind him, he also came upon a body on the beach. He starred at the body for a moment and then knelt down touching his neck looking for a pulse.

"Is he dead sir?"

"No, but close..Help me get him to the beach house. It's odd but he seems familiar to me somehow.."

"Yes, Sir…understood" With that being said Theron carried the young man back to the house , While the young man whose long chestnut brown hair glistened in the rays of the sun walked briskly beside him.

Once inside the beach house, theron was instructed to lay the young man down in one of the adjoining guest rooms. After stripping shin of his clothing he covered him with a warm blanket. The young master sat next to his bedside reading a book, waiting for him to awake. He remembered that coordinators bodies are different and can often heal on their own, so all he could do was wipe his forehead and hope for his revival.

In the midst of his feverish daze shin began to dream of the events after the explosion. He remembered that right before the explosion he pushed the drop button instead of the ejectection switch, forcing a hatch to open beneath them causing them to freefall into the water. Fortunately, they were close enough to orbs territory that the enemy had no desire to pursue them, but still they were very far from land. For forty minutes he swam against the current toward ORB in the pouring rain, at one point the sea became so rough that after winning a short argument of whose saving whom, he swam backwards while holding onto cagalli with every ounce of his strength.

"ca….ga…ll….i, ca…ga…ll..i" called out shin in his sleep

"cagalli?" questioned the young man as he wiped shins face "Do I know that name? Perhaps he doesn't realize what he's saying. He's so incoherent right now."

"you… idi….ot …you've go..t to pe…ddle fast..**er your fe..et,** _use you..re feet!_" Shin began to toss and turn from side to side

"It's ok now you're safe now, just calm down" when shin relaxed the young man turned to sit down in his chair, and just as he opened his book his jaw dropped at the sound of shin's words,

"_la..cus, Ki..ra I'm sorry,…. Ath…run for… give me..."_

Elsewhere, stood kira in the hangar trying to rationalize cagalli's state of mind, without any proof He couldn't be certain that she was the one responsible for taking the stealth, but his gut feeling told him that it was her. He knew his sister all too well. He didn't get mad easyily, but he wasn't about to let this slide. As he walked up the stairs to the main floor trying to calm down, his phone rang.

"Hello?" said kira to the voice on the other end..

"Can it wait? Now isn't such A good time" Kira's inner thoughts told him that he needed to follow through with this persons request

"Ok, I'll be there" The only reason kira said yes was because the person on the other end has never asked him for anything, and as much as he wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery. He was needed elsewhere, if not, but for a short time. He ran up the stairs as fast as his two feet would carry him only to be met by lacus, as she tried to speak kira kissed her not once, but twice...One was hello the second was good-bye

"I'm sorry lacus. I 'll be back in 2 days a friend needs my help"

"But..."

"Please Lacus..**_trust me _**ok.."

She wanted to tell him about cagalli and shin. but as she put her hands together and prayed she thought that perhaps this is destiny.

Within an hour kira was knocking on the door of the beach house.

"Hello Kira"

"_Hello Sigh"_

_"please follow me" Kira followed sigh to a guest room where he saw shin._

"He just kept going on about water, cagalli and how sorry he was, but when he mentioned your name that's when I thought I should call you. He's still in and out but..."

"It's ok sigh, i'll sit with him if that's ok. I hope you don't mind if we talk later"

"No of course not"

For a day and a half kira sat listeneing to shin call out in his sleep while watching toss and turn, often wiping his forehead, searching for clues to the ware bouts of his sister. The one comfort that he had was that he knew she got out alive. From time to time he thought the worse, but he didn't feel that she had died. Sigh told him that he searched the beach, but saw no one else. Finally kira felt as if he could sit no more and do nothing. He asked sigh to look after shin and to call him when he woke, as far as athrun knew , cagalli was visiting miriellia whom agreed to provide kira with the alibi he needed while he searched for his sister. He was not going to give up.

For two days she lay in slumber in his studio apartment, and for two days he sat in a wooden chair staring at her, wiping her sweat, as he listened to her moan in her sleep, all while deciding what to do next.. But before that he had to be certain of her identity. He had been monitoring all the news reports of the explosion, and the only thing that he could learn was that it was dismissed as a mere rocket test gone bad. As he walked away to the kitchen sink to refill the water basin he heard her softly call out

_"Kira..." _

Stunned he stopped in his tracks, he had his suspicions, but now he was certain of her identity, the familiarity in her facial features were too obvious to be ignored. He continued on his path towards the sink, and as the water flowed he could recall sigh saying,

"It's ok kuzzey, You're just too nice a guy"

He wondered what it would of been like if he had stayed above the Arc Angel, could his life of been different, he never forgave himself for being so afraid, but this time would be different. This time he was determined to be the hero, the fame of saving Orbs princess would earn him the respect of not only the people of his country, but also the utmost respect of his friends of whom he shunned for so many years. He grinned at the thought of this, as long as she was missing for a few more days he could come up with whatever story he wanted, and considering her condition he was certain she wouldn't remember. He twisted the handle to turn off the water and as he turned around to walk towards the bed the basin fell from his hands. He became upset as he saw her sitting up in bed with her hand holding the sheet tightly against her chest gazing at the sunlight through the window. Startled by the sound of the bowl dropping she turned toward him.

"I can't recall your name, _but I know your face_" kuzzey just stared at her thinking why?... why did she have to wake up now? This was my one chance at redemption...and...

"Excuse me, _where are my clothes?" _

**That was the last thing he wanted to hear**

he walked to the bathroom to grab her clothes from the drying rack, and brought them back to her

"You can use the bathroom if you want..."

"Uhh..If you'll just turn around I can make this real quick" _Kuzzy turned around .._

"by the wa..y How long have I been here anyway?"

"Two days."

"Two days huh...Look thanks for your help, and I hate to get up and run but...if i stay a moment longer a lot of people will be worried about me and I don't want to cause trouble...Uhhh you can turn around now..."

"You don't have to go...I mean your injuries weren't all that minor and perhaps you should use this time to rest..by the way... do you remember what happend?_"_

cagalli looked down at the floor and then starred into his eyes before responding, "No .. I don't and even if I did ..I don't owe you an explanation, however thank you for saving my life. I wish I could talk more but... it's getting late and I really should get going.." Cagalli turned to walk towards the door and then she felt him grab her wrist

" Look maybe you should stay"

she paused and felt chills as she remembered the sound of that same voice above the Arc Angel telling sigh _"...maybe I should stay" as she and kira hid and watched their conversation. There was no mistake this was kira's friend, _but something about this felt wrong and uncomfortable.

"you don't even remember me do you?" kuzzey looked down and tears seemed to well up in his eyes as the sound of his voice slowly turned to one of frustration.

"All I want is for you to relax a few more days just so that you can get your strength back"

" And you don't get it do you...**I'm grateful**, I really am ...but **What I need** is to go home right now.." cagalli walked toward the door and stopped shy of opening it..

"By the way, thanks again...**Kuzzey**... I didn't forget you and this won't be forgotten, but I would appreciate it if you could keep me being here a _**secret**_" with her back still turned towards him she heard him as he said,

_**" **__A secret?"_

_"Yeah, you know...something that you don't mention, besides even if you did tell someone, no one would ever __**believe**__ that I would of been acquainted with you..Goodbye" As cagalli reached for the door knob she felt her body being forcefully pressed up against the door, and her hair was pulled backwards as her arm was being twisted from behind, and then she was slammed into the door.._

Trying hard to speak "Stop it!" she said "your hurting me!"

_"you want to keep this a secret!" said a very distraught kuzzy as he pushed her head into the door " how about I give you a secret I know you'll keep... I just wanted you to stay a few more days, and then I would take you home and reap the fruits of __**my**__ labor! But ..__**youuu**__ want to take that from me"_

_**"Let go of meee", **__said cagalli struggling to get free_

_" _I'll let go of you when I'm ready and then ..."

Kuzzey leaned forward and whisperd in her ear

" I'm going to give you a secret to keep, but I'm going to tell you first" tears streamed down cagalli's face as she listened to his words,

"First, I'm going to defile you in every way that matters..Why? you may ask, because that's a secret **I know** that you'll keep, just imagine it,.. who would want you then ..You'd have to do whatever I said, and give me whatever position in the government I want, **and I** _know_ you could do it Mrs. Cagalli Yula Atha_... Zala_"

Cagalli cringed at the thought "Athrun would kill you!"

"Whose going to tell?" He began to laugh sinisterly " Certainly not you! After all, it would be my little secret, or shall I say ours and I could live with it..**But can you...? **Hum"

"I'll never let that happen!" Cagalli threw her head backwards, hitting him in the forehead "My body is my temple and _**you're not invited!**_" Still pressed up against the door she visualized her next move, while he was distracted she hooked her left foot around his, causing him to lose his balance and then elbowed him to the floor, and before she knew it she had his neck between her forefinger and thumb. All of this happened in a matter of seconds, kuzzey was gasping for air tryng to edge a word out... coughing up blood,

" When..." *choke, cough* "Did you become" *choke, gage* " so stro..ng...you're not human!" He then passed out ...Thinking that she had killed him.. Cagalli opened the door and ran away, she ran 3 blocks before stopping in front of a store window.

Looking back in the distance she could hardly believe her eyes...How did she travel so far in such a short time span without breaking a sweat. She wondered if it could of been the effects of the transfusion, She shook her head at the possibility.

" I'm thinking too much" she said, She thought about lacus and the promise she made before she left with shin, and even though she was still vague on the details of the last couple of days, her primary concern at this moment was getting home. As she walked toward the bus stop she was cut off by a Tall man dressed in a black suit

"Excuse me, Sir" she said, but as she tried to walk around him, he covered her mouth with a white cloth forcing her to breath in chloroform. The last thing she saw before loosing consciousness was a tall rectangular 50 story building covered with dark glass windows.

**_It was the dead of night_**, and kira was accelerating down 52nd street on his ninja motorcycle traveling at speeds that only he had mastered, and then he saw him... He couldn't believe his eyes it had been years, but he had to ask. As the light turned red, he stopped his bike and called out,

"Kuzzey!"

Kuzzy's eyes grew wide and kira pulled over,

"How's it going? Long time no see.."

"Yeah kira, what's up man, I saw your wedding on tv... congratulations" Kuzzey began to sweat bullets.

"you don't look so good are you _alright_?" He couldn't tell him that he was out chasing his sister, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself either ..

"you know Kira I saw someone that looked like cagalli walk this way, I could be wrong considering how dark it is but..." before he could get a word in kira grabbed his shirt and said, " which way?"

" Hey man, Back off! I know it's been a long time, but you don't have to manhandle me that way! I didn't do anything...never mind a block up ahead"

Before kuzzey could turn around kira was gone. He wasn't worried about cagalli saying anything to kira , After all, She was the one who wanted to keep **her** whereabouts a secret, _Kuzzey began laughing as he suddenly realized that all the cards were in his hands and he wasn't sharing._

A few moments later kira caught a glimpse of an unusual sight , a man dressed in black carrying a girl dressed in black thrown over his shoulder, under normal circumstances he would call the police, except this girls blond hair was a dead giveaway, not to mention this tingling feeling that he felt as he drove past. Kira parked his bike in an alley next to the building and enabled the cloaking system so that it would not be seen. He gazed up at the top floor and saw a faint light then decided that was going to be his destination.

_**It felt like a bee sting**_, she didn't realize it at first but she had been slapped.

"Are you awake?"

_"What?" she said before feeling ice water cover and saturate her entire body, _

_**" I am now!"**__ cagalli felt cold bands bind her wrist as she sat in a cozy, but not so comfortable chair._

_" Is this how you treat all of your guests? or am I your prisoner" at that instant the lights turned on _

_"Nice office, but if you wanted me to vist all you would of had to do was extend an invtation, I would of considered it."_

_"Perhaps, but I couldn't risk the chance of you not accepting, by the way you can scream, yell, moan, or groan all you want, I assure you everyone has left for the day and did I mention that these walls are indeed soundproof" Cagalli couldn't help, but stare at the man who sat behind the desk whose face resembled that of captain la flaga. _

_She began to scout out her surroundings, the windows were pitch black and next to him stood a young man whom appeared to be in his twenties dressed in white leather pants, red shirt and a long white leather trench coat, his long fire red hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his slightly exposed katana was strapped to his hip._

_"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that he's not your secretary"_

_"I'm going to say that your very observant" He then turned to the young man "Jin, release her restraints"_

_Jin then cut away at he cold metal with his steel blade_

_"I trust that you won't run away"_

_"Do I have a choice" said a very cold cagalli _

_"you always have a choice"_

_"What's up with the theatrics? and to whom do I thank for the hospitality? Look I'd love to stay but I have a lot of things to do before I go to bed" Cagalli got up to walk away, but before she could reach the door, Jin appears before her causing her to stop dead in her tracks..._

_"Please cagalli have a seat", said the man in the chair.._

_"Excuse me but i'd rather stand if you don't mind, and how did you know my name? I don't recall giving it..."_

_"I know everything about you Mrs. Cagalli Yula... Atha, or shall I say Zala"_

_"Call me whatever you want, it's not like I have a choice"_

_" I promise you, that You'll be home within the hour, after all, we can't have Orbs chief representative missing now can we, so I'll make this quick"_

_"I'm listening "_

_"I want you to bare my child"_

_cagalli laughs, then grunts **"sorry, but is this some sort of a joke?"**_

_"Why my dear on the contrary, last time I checked it wasn't April Fools Day"_

_"Why me?" Cagalli sat down_

_"why not you, you are in control of a powerful country and you have extrodinary genes, and.."_

_"And I'm married..."_

_"I never said I wanted to marry you ...Do not underestimate me you will bare my child..."_

_"I've had enough of your fantasies this conversation's over!" Cagalli got up to walk away yet again, and as the man sitting at the desk flicked his wrist. Jin who never spoke, cut cagalli off as she turned the door knob grabbed her by the throat and held her against the wall._

_"Perhaps, you don't understand the gravity of the situation your in, and maybe I didn't make myself clear the first time so let me say it again...:_

_"YOU... WILL... BARE... MY CHILD.."_

_"You're crazy, I'll never sleep with you!"_

_"You don't have to it's already been done" cagalli's eyes grew wide as she struggeld to turn her head to face him, her neck still in jins grip, "Don't you remember the shooting at the wedding, all of it was orchestrated by me, all to remake the world in my image and now you are the final piece of the puzzle. I knew you'd never let your brother die everything went according as planned, the transfusion, all of it "_

_"what do you mean all of it?" Cagalli tried to break free from the hold, but was unsuccessful, "Who are you?" _

_The man stood up from his desk walked over to cagalli and caressed her face with his fingertips all while looking into her golden eyes and said " yes... your perfect...no more defective clones" She struggled_

_"Defective clones what the hell are you talking about?"_

_"maybe I should spell it out for you...Once you survived the transfusion i knew that all we would have to do is watch and wait,...I'm sure you've noticed it...Your abilities starting to manifest, and all thanks to your brother the ultimate coordinator. You are going to be the first person to have a child with no junk, altered or defective DNA the perfect womb, and I am proud to say that I did the honors. Once I was sure that you'd survived the transfusion all i had to do was have my offspring so to speak implanted into your egg and voila...very soon the next la flaga will be on the way"_

_"The next la...** huh**"_

_"Oh did I fail to mention I'm Al la flaga ...MU's father and the reason that you and that brother of yours are living and breathing, without my money your father would of never been able to continue his research working on the ultimate coordinator project and you two would of never been born"_

_"`BUT STILL! Why?Why me?"_

_" no, no, no can't tell everything on the first date" Al nodded to Jin, and with the flick of his katana cut of the top half of cagalli's clothes exposing her from the waist up. Jin held her neck with one hand and placed his hand on her stomach with his other, and began to raise cagalli off the floor by her neck while still holding her against the wall ignoring her gasps as if he was feeling for something._

_But no one realized that someone was listening outside of the slightly cracked open door. On the other side was a slightly stunned, infurated kira holding a gun contemplating the perfect moment to enter. Unable to with stand the torturous sounds coming from his sister he opened the door shot at Al and then at Jin. Jin released cagalli who fell to the floor and with amazing speed hit kira in the stomach with the butt of his katana. Kira was thrown backwards for a moment, but quickly regained his footing and sidestepped jins' katana stopping it with the butt of his gun. Kira was just a hair faster than jin who proved to be a real challenge. For one instant he turned to look at cagalle and the moment he looked back, Jin was gone, Kira walked over to the desk and then looked up at the ceiling and their he saw the holographic emitters. It made sense that the room was dark so that they wouldn't be noticed ,which meant that jin was nothing more than his attendant and al's presence their was a mere hologram, with a signal source unknown._

_"Ki...ra" At the sound of that he rushed to his siblings aide, cagalli was on her hands and knees on the floor and kira knelt down to her level. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked into his.._

_"Cagalli don't try to speak" with that being said he placed her head on his shoulders not just to comfort her, but so that she wouldn't see the anger and tears in his eyes, because he promised that he wouldn't cry again, and whether she wanted him to or not he had decided that he was going to protect her no matter what..._

_"Cagalli you won't have to share this burden alone, but please don't shut me out.." _

_"How did you find me?"_

_"shush don't talk...Your my better half ..I'll always know where you are, we share the same blood remember. I promise we'll get through this together, so please don't run away" _

_"Jut promise me that... you won't tell Athrun?"_

Kira looked into her eyes and simply said,** "Let's go home..." **He had no intentions of answering her question...


	19. Chapter 19: Resilience

**Chapter 19: Resilience**

As he helped cagalli to her feet he scanned the room to see if there was anyone else hiding . When he was comfortable with the situation he turned to his sibling and smiled,

"It's ok cagalli, I think their gone" A very shaken cagalli , replied" that's great...now let's go home" Trying hard to appear unscathed she tripped over her own two feet as she began to walk toward the door. Kira rushed to her side and held out his hand to help her stand.

"Now get on !"she looked confused

"on...wh..at?" Kira didn't try to answer, and before she knew it he turned around, grabbed both her hands and lifted her onto his back.

"Hey ! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?"

" We don't have time for this cagalli, even though I think their gone, those guys could be back any minute and you are in no condition to walk, let alone run, you'll only slow me down. "

Kira was just talking about her swollen ankle that she twisted as she was dropped to the floor earlier, but cagalli thought that he was talking about her pregnancy, for the first time she not only felt useless, and burdensome, but helpless as well.

"Hold on cagalli."

"Kira wait!,... Thank you..."

and without looking back he said, "humm...Save it for later"

It didn't take long for them to make their way down the stairs. The entire time that kira carried her she purposely thought of nothing. Then without letting her feet touch the ground he gently sat her down on his bike and got on. Cagalli put her arms around his waist, and rested her head upon his back

" Let's go home kira ..I ... want to see Athrun.."

" Yeah ...sure" Once he said that he felt a dead weight upon his back. Cagalli had fallen asleep, but he knew that he couldn't take her home, not yet anyway. He needed some time alone to digest tonight's events and he also wanted to make sure that she didn't go rogue again. He didn't feel like dealing with the whispers of the servants or answering the questions from his family, therefore he decided to return to sighs house. He felt better when he made his choices outside while gazing up at the stars. It's as if they had all the answers that he was searching for and he just needed to find them. He didn't want cagalli to fall off the bike, so he held onto her tightly with one hand and speed up with the other. Once they arrived at sigh's home, He noticed that she was still sleeping. For a while he watched her as she slept peacefully before lifting her off the bike to carry her to the front door. As he walked to the porch, cagalli in arms , Theron opened the door and there stood sigh at his side.

"Pardon me master kira, I'll take her" said theron

"no...I...I..I"

"It's alright kira" said sighe" you can trust theron...His family has served mine for many generations now..It's ok you can let her go .."

"I understand, It' just that..."

"I know kira.. don't force yourself to talk about it ...theirs plenty of time for that, and if you never do then that's ok to ... I'm just happy to know that there is something _that I can do_ to help you. After all you risked your life many times protecting mine.. this is the _absolute _least I can do. "

"I'don't know what to say ,...but thanks..sigh"

"Instead of standing out here would you like to _come in_?"

" no ..I ..just want to sit out her amongst the stars... a.. lot has happened that I have to think about."

"ok...That friend of yours .. Shin, he's finally calmed down and is sleeping soundly"

" That's great, can you watch over cagalli for me?"

"Do you even have to ask..._Of course I will" smiled sigh _

Kira then turned around to begin his stroll along the beach in the dead of night.

So much has happened . ... Where do we go from here he thought...

First there was the wedding, ending with cagalli being shot, then her crazy demeanor when she returned home from the hospital, only to discover that it was topaz impersonating her in the mansion, then their was topaz's escape from morganrate, not to mention cagalli's sudden disappearence with the stealth , the explosion and now the sudden reemergence of AL La Flaga.

" Dammit!" He said as he knelt down pounding his fist into the dirt..

"What the hell does all of this mean...!"He stopped for a moment to feel the wind blow against his face from the warm ocean breeze.

The wind he thought,

"That's what I felt when she blew past me shielding me with her body, so that I wouldn't get hurt"

No matter how he thought of it nothing hurt him worse than knowing that the possibility existed that she could be pregnant with that bastard Al La flaga's child. And then he remembered that image, The image of him walking into the office, and cagalli being pinned up against the wall by her throat with her feet dangling trying to reach the floor. Seeing that bastard called Jin rubbing his hands on her stomach as if she were his pet. Then it dawned on him it doesn't matter if cagalli lives or dies as long as she has that child, that's all that matters to them.

"You shouldn't be sad for me..."

kira let out a big gasp only to turn with wide eyes and see cagalli in blue jeans an oversized white t-shirt and no shoes,

"It's ok, your friend sigh gave me some of his clothes " she looked past kira and then into his eyes and smiled, He had almost forgotten that in their haste for some sort of baby confirmation they cut off part of her clothes.

"cagalli, I'm-"

"ok, it's going to be ok kira" she sat down next to him on the dirt and put her head on his shoulder,

"I love the sound of the wind, the air blowing against my face is soooo comforting,.. It's as if I'm being cleansed somehow"

Kira turned his head away from her and a single tear fell from his face as he thought, how can one person endure so much alone and still find the strength to comfort others when she is the one who is clearly suffering. As a coordinator he didn't feel that he was capable of having that kind of strength. But when he is with her he believes..

"Hey cagalli,...It's really late ...aren't you tired?"

" Yes and No, I don't need to sleep as much as i use to, but I am tired of fighting"

"Fighting! What do you mean...CA..." she interrupts

"let's go back Kira_, back home_"

"uhh, ok but shin ..."

"He'll be fine, your friend sight promised to give him a message for me when he woke up, I don't really want to make other's worry while we wait for him to awake"

"hum, sounds like a plan" Kira wanted to press her for answers , but he decided to wait..

Back at the mansion Athrun was lying on the window sill looking out at the garden holding a single rose thinking of his one and only. It wasn't quite dawn yet, but he couldn't wait for cagalli to return home, so that they could make up for lost time. While she was away he had lots of time to collect his thoughts and relax a little, as much as he loved being with cagalli, This was somewhat peaceful. he had brought fresh flowers for their room as a surprise, along with a secret stash of rose petals hidden in the night stand drawer for that special moment that paved the way to instant gratification.

While lost in thought the door opened, unable to make out the face he saw the silhouette of what appeared to be a female.

" Is it you? are you back", He quickly sat up from the window sill wearing only his satin black pajama pants. As he walked closer to embrace his lover the sun's rays revealed the person before him,

"Why didn't you answer", said Athrun very coldly

"'I'm sorry sir" She bowed " It's just that I was mesmerized by your presence, the way the light hit you was sooo..."

"Stop... please leave" athrun shut his eyes, he didn't want to see anyone else but cagalli, and while he wasn't looking she raised her hand as if to touch his face, and before she could lay a finger tip on his skin, his eyes opened and stared straight into hers,

"What's you name?"

"Ni...na , Sir"

"Very well then, I'm not going to repeat myself " at that moment the door opened and standing there in a satin pink night gown was lacus"

The sun had risen enough so that no one was covered by the shadows

" Oh, my _...Nina!_", said lacus " Why are you here?"

"I...I... was ...I'm so..rry! " nina quickly ran past lacus and out of the room.

The last thing she wanted to do was explain herself. She went in there to look for the pills, but instead she encountered athurn . Her heart pounded, she only wished that she had come a couple of hours earlier, before the sun had risen, but with 2 days left she was running out of time. If she didn't find those pills fast she could be exposed. She had to search harder and with that thought she walked to the servants quarters.

**Back in athruns room stood lacus face to face with athrun.**

_"Are you ok ?"_

Athrun clenched his fist and hung his head and stearnly said**, "I"m fine...No that's not it , You know that saying that you never know what you've got until it's gone."**

_"Yes"_

_"Well..._I miss her more and more with each passing moment."

"Have you ever told her that?"

"I don't have that kind of courage,...I'm a soldier remember ..I was never suppose to feel those sort of things , Not even when I was with you..."

"I see...well then, we have a problem don't we...It's one thing to shut someone out of your life athrun but it's another matter, when your try to close off your heart, cagalli is the key ...embrace that and I'm sure you'll find the solace that you've been searching for..."

"You know lacus your really something.."

"whatever it is,...I hope it's good " and they both giggled

"It's just that you always know how to make me feel good inside..just like kira."

"yes, _kira._..." Lacus began to cry,... athrun walked forward and embraced her _"What's wrong?"_

" I really hope _he finds_ them athurn!"

"Huh..what ..find who ?"

_"it's all my fault...I never should of let them go...I should of..._" Athrun broke hold their embrace and tilted up her head and stared into her eyes,

"what are you saying lacus...let who go ? Your not making any sense..."

At that moment the room door opened and there stood cagalli and kira

Athrun turned and said, " **Wait! before you jump to any conclusions, I know what this looks like...I can explaine..**", before he could get another word out, cagalli ran forward and locked her lips with his...

" you don't need to explain... I trust you and that's all that matters..", said cagalli

Kira didn't move, He stood still, he was affected in a different way Lacus ran into his arms and he very hesitantly embraced her.. Not because he didn't want to. , but because the person on his mind was not her, but his sister and her fate. As he stood holding lacus in athruns room he held onto her tighter and tighter thinking about the last conversation he had with cagalli as they stood facing each other on the shore before they left the beach..

_**"Cagalli if it is true, and your fate lies in their hands, are you going to get an abortion", cagalli sighed and looked outwards toward the sunrise in the horizon before answering**_

_**" I can't say I haven't given it some thought, but the moment I knew that i had feelings for athrun I gave him a haumean necklace for protection, and as you know we worship the goddess of haumea here in orb ...**_

_**The goddess haumea,..strange isn't it ,...How ironic that she is the goddess of fertility..., so i thought ...If I had an abortion,...how could I be Orbs chief representative, a wife to my husband, and a princess of a country I've grown to love and then go to bed at night knowing that I would live each and every day as a hypocrite..I'd rather die than live each and every day in shame" **_

_As kira remembered her words he held onto lacus tighter and tighter...no words were needed as she had no intention of letting go_

_...soon after lacus and kira retired to their respective chambers, and athrun and cagalli remained in theirs.._

After a few hours cagalli awoke, and in doing so triggered athrun's private alarm system...which was She moved his arm, but however, he was still revealing in the excitement of his wife returning home that he was still sound asleep. Trying not to wake him she tip-toed to the bathroom after retrieving her cell phone from her dresser drawer, she contacted murrue ramius... Athrun was drifting in and out of sleep at the sound of cagallis voice, however, he chose not to stir as he overheard bits and pieces of cagalli speaking with someone.

_"Yes, I know this is a strange request and please don't tell anyone, but it's urgent that we meet today, as soon as possible please, and thanks , good-bye" _

Cagalli then hid the phone behind the bathroom mirror, walked over to the bed and kissed athrun on the cheek before leaving the room. Athrun who had quickly dressed while she was in the bathroom pretended to be asleep when she kissed him good-bye, because this time he had made the decision to tail her...

As he walked out of the room one of the servants walked up to him,

" Master Athrun, lady lacus and Master Kira are still sleeping , and Lady cagalli stepped out this morning, shall I make you breakfast?"

"HUH ... no and ... Which way did she go?", asked athrun.

"out the servants entrance, Sir..."

"**Thanks, **and _**no**_ to breakfast"

Athrun watched as she heisted kira's bike, thinking that it's definitely getting it's use, but he gloated because while she was gone he bought one of his own. A ninja bike of metallic green with a helmet to match, Now he could follow her as close as he wants and not be noticed.

Cagalli didn't want to worry the people around her, but she needed to know for certain , she contacted murrue , because she needed a special kind of physician, but she also wanted this to be kept a secret away from everyone. She asked murrue to set up a meeting with a doctor that she trusted and they agreed to meet at a old genetic lab that her parents had in a old abandoned building near the shore. Even though an office building was on top, the actual laboratory was in a basement underneath. She made sure to be careful that she wasn't followed, but as a precaution she hid the bike in some nearby trees hoping that it wouldn't be seen. Taking a flashlight with her she walked all the way down the hallway until she saw a light on in the room around the corner at the end. Once inside murrue closed the door and introduced cagalli to a geneticist by the name of Sarah Fallon. Once she saw her it hit home, the reality of the situation, She didn't cry a loud, but she couldn't control the tears that streamed from her face, murrue comforted her, and then cagalli sat down and told them both about Al la Flaga, and what he had claimed to of done to her. Once she finished telling her story they both stood in shock. Sarah was appalled, and murrue was speechless.

"no matter what we do that man insists on haunting our lives even if it's from the grave, or is it possible that he could still be alive...Anyway,...well help you through this, Sarah is an old friend of mine from the military only she left to go study genetic chemistry in the plants. I assure you what is said and done here today will not leave this room"

"and so do I", said sarah

**"Thank you, Thank you both!**"

Pulling up outside was Athrun , he had cut the engines on his bike a few feet back so that he would not be heard. As he walked closer he couldn't help, but laugh.

"Hiding a black bike in green brush in broad daylight is not very smart cagalli." That being said he enabled the cloaking system on his. Seeming as her bike was parked in the area of the basement stairs it didn't take a genius to figure out which way she went. He walked down the stairs and began making his way down the hall when he heard voices, as he got closer he pressed his back up against the wall hoping to gather information, but he was not prepared for what he was about to hear...

"now cagalli" said sarah " I want you to lye back and relax "

"Don't worry cagalli, I'm right here"

" thank you murrue" said cagalli

They both looked at the monitor and their they were, two embryos, with two distinctive heart beats

"Cagallie", said Sarah, "I've confirmed it... your pregnant... with twins.."

Before Athrun could hear anything else he had barely made his way outside, his heart was pounding at a pace that seemed like a million beats per second, as far as he knew he was going to be a father...

but back in the laboratory...

Everyone else was in tears and even more so when cagalli said_**," As long as I'm pregnant I'll get to stay alive a little longer, at least until I find him and then ...I'll put an end to him and his experiments ..even if it means taking me with him..I'll ensure that No one else will have to suffer again... '**_


	20. Chapter 20: Determination

_**Chapter 20: Determination**_

He didn't know if he could be a good father, that was the thought that floated aroundin his mind as he raced home. However his joy became overshadowed by questions . Why? Why was cagalli there in that place? And more importantly why wouldn't she tell him where she was going? Hoping that it was going to be a surprise he put his thoughts aside and decided to live in the moment. Once he arrived at home he told the butler to tell the servants not to disturb him this evening, as he was planning on spending some time in the guest house this evening. He also asked the head butler to relay to cagalli his whereabouts once she arrived home, and to make sure that she had no plans for the night. Athrun had never been so happy, nor so scared, but he thought that this is a learning experience. _One that they can journey on together_. Taking the the rose petals from his drawer he ran to the guest house along with a present he had purchased for cagalli while she was away on vacation with mireallia. He had decided that tonight was going to be special and there would be no interruptions. He was very meticulous in planning for this evening, He took a hot shower in an ocean mist body wash, _he wanted to smell like the ocean_, so that cagalli would want to get swept away in his scent. Afterwards he put on white leather pants and a low white shirt made of rayon material unbutton midway down exposing his hard chest. He wanted it to feel soft but he wanted to look irresistible, so that she would think of nothing but him. He had white lilies placed around the balcony rail, so that she would think that they were in paradise. He thought through carefully the evening meal having the servants prepare orange passion fruit drink for her, and an alchoholic strawberry daiquiri for him, accompanied by steamed tilapia as an entree, doused in a fresh lemon sauce surrounded by zucchini. Afterwards he laid on the cream chaise lounge chair with its soft lush couchins, starring up at the sky, sipping on some white wine waiting for his beloved to come home all while thinking of the many ways to get her to come clean. he didn't know what would happen after she did, but for the first time in a long while he felt grounded.

Back at the underground laboratory Cagalli was still trying to collect her thoughts. To everyon dismay she was taking it far too well..

They were concerned about her and when they asked if she was ok she replied, "I'm fine, _everything is going to be alright._" as she went to walk out the door she stopped short of opening it.

"Ms. Murrue, _I have a request..._"

**"Name it! Anything"**

"_Please don't tell_ Commandor La flaga,...It's just that,,..."

"You don't have to say anymore, I understand..."

"Sandy, I have a question.."

_"yes?"_

"How much time do I have?"

_"Time?"_

"Before I start showing... "

"ummm...that's another thing I failed to mention...You see, since this is an unnatural pregnancy..I can't really say how long it's going to last, the children may develop more quickly than others,...but ..."

_**"HOW LONG?"**_ ,said cagalli as she raised her voice

"2 months at the most, _maybe less..._no offense, but people wouldn't think it odd since you and Athrun are different...If you know what I mean. But with your permission I'd like to do an ambeo scenticis in a couple of weeks, and that would perhaps give me more genetic information"

**"There's no need for that"**

_"But cagalli it's important that we monitor your health..."_

**"And I Said** _there's no need_" They both looked perplexed

"Don't worry, Orb worships The goddess of Haumea also known as the goddess of fertility. I'm not a murderer...these children will not die by _my hands_" With that being said she smiled and walked away leaving murrue and Sandy behind. As she reached the door she touched her abdomen and quietly whispered _I'm sorry_.

_He didn't know what to think as he sat on the rocky cliff not far from the house.. He had trouble deciding where to begin. _

"**Dammit!**" he yelled as he threw a rock into the sea...

"Why, Why do the people close to me always have to suffer...!"

"Is someone in pain? " , said Lacus as she walked up behind Kira. He turned around and replied,

"Hi Lacus..."

_"I'm sorry for disturbing you,...It's just that I felt your heart breaking and sooooo I _**decided **_to search for you.. "_

_"I'm alright lacus. It's.. just that I'm powerless right now, and a certain person is suffering and _**there isn't a dam thing that I can do to help!"**

**"**_Why not start at the beginning"_

**"the beginning?"**

**"yes"**

Lacus walked over and took his face in her hands, _**" If you start at the beginning I'm sure you'll find your way "**_

_"Kira thought about how it all began and realized that it started with that letter, and the person who wrote it was his mother, whom Athrun saw die...The coordinates on that letter led to the island where cagalli was being held. Kira suddenly realized what he needed to do then before he knew it the answer was standing right in front of him. _

**It was shin ...**

He turned to lacus holding her hands and asked her if they could talk later. She saw the look in their eyes, she didn't insist on anything , she just simply walked away,

"I'll see you at home"

Kira just smiled, because he didn't know where destiny would take him...

"This is reminiscent", said kira

"Yes of that time when we placed flowers on my parents memorial. The wind was blowing quietly on a day just like this"

**"Shin?"**

"Look, I know what your going to ask me, and ... I'm not sure if I can betray her trust...I mean she may be an idiot at times and all, but Please let me talk to her first..."

"Listen a lot has happend since you were under duress, and you have to understand that she is my sister and I have to protect her,...I would think that of all people you would know what that means.."

"That's low even for you...You're not on duty right now, so I'm not under any obligation to tell you anything , but as _**a friend**_ to your sister you should know that I can't say anything , but unlike most naturals who have just been through what I have... I _can_ still move"

Kira began to ask question's

"Did you go to the island with cagalli?" shin nodded

"Did anything happen there that could hurt cagalli? Did you find anything?"

Shin started remembering the incident with her father and looked away

"You're not helping her by staying silent..."

**"Don't you think I know that, but I just can't!"**

"I just need some time !" Kira ran over and grabbed shin's shirt, Which scared him because he never seen kira react this way before, " I can't pretend to be calm when someone i care deeply about is in danger, but if I find out that you had something to do with the situation that she's in, no Gundam or person will be able to protect you from me. I have one more question to ask you and I expect a definitive answer...Was she with you during the explosion?"

Shin's eyes grew wide and then kira turned him loose and then looked out across the sea ..

"It's ok ...Now I know what I have to do..."

Back at the mansion nina had searched every room in the house , she realized she had one more day left and there was one room that she had not checked ...She stood in front of the door before making her move and then she heard footsteps coming down the hall... It was cagalli.

"What do you think your doing?" Afraid that she'd be recognized nina bowed ...

"I'm sorry...I...I was just going to clean the masters room" Just as cagalli was about to tell her to raise her head, Butler Ito came to relay Athrun's request , which gave nina just enough time to slip away before being interrogated further. Breathing a sigh of relief she tealized that she would have to try later.

Cagalli tried not to think about her pregnancy and the circumstances surrounding her situation, and eventhough she wanted to be left alone. She felt that if she were alone, she would dwell on it, and more than anything right now she wanted to forget it. So she decided that she would meet her husband at the guest house. She strolled through the rose garden, taking her time, watching the sun set upon the horizon. As she made her way to the front door she knocked twice and there was no answer.

She took off her shoes at the entrance and then gently made her way up the wooden stairs. Once she made it to the top she felt a breeze coming from the bedroom. As she walked onto the balcony she couldn't help, but notice athrun sleeping soundly. For moments on end she stared at him, She loved watching the breeze causing the front of his hair to sway. For the first time in a long time she smiled with a sense of happiness, and once she walked closer she noticed his white leather pants which brought back images of Jin. She tried so hard to forget him and in an instant she was reminded of her reality. _**She wanted to know more, but most of all she had to know if everything AL said were true.**_ She shook her head as if to clear the image from her head. She decided not to care anymore, but Instead of continuing toward her angelic sleeping athrun who looked so handsome dressed in white. She did a quarter turn to the left stopping at the railing. She looked downward first and then back at Athrun, once she smelled the flowers, She then chose to sit on the railing with her feet dangling beneath her, Tilting her chin upward, and holding her eyes closed she felt the warm nighttime breeze before leaning forward.

_**Down stairs in the mansion parking lot was lacus welcoming kira home**__. As they embraced Kira felt an unwavering chill and then shortly afterwards it was gone, _

"What's wrong Kira? " said Lacus

"Ahhhh...it's nothing ummmmmm Where is Cagalli?"

"She's at the guest house, I think that Athrun has something special planned for her, Just like I have for you...! Now let's go!"

"uuhhhhhhhhh Ok" Said kira with a big grin on his face as lacus dragged him to a candle light dinner that she had prepared for him outside on the porch.

_**She was startled when it happened, She didn't hear him coming ... One moment she was feeling the breeze on her face and the next, Someone had wrapped their arms around her from behind.**_

It was Athrun, She felt his head lay into her back as he held onto her tight. She never heard him stir, Is this one of the skills of a _**coordinator **__she thought_

"Don't ...PLease...Don't"

"Athrun wha...what do you mean?"

"I know you're probably going through a lot right now, and I'm not going to stress you out by complaining, but this is no way to solve your problems"

"Ath...run ...what are you saying,.. I don't have any problems?" She couldn't see his face, and she didn't like it when she couldn't look into his eyes, because she couldn't tell what his was thinking, but she did feel his tears...She couldn't hear them, but she felt them ... After a time he lifted her up and carried her over to the lounge chair.

" Athrun, what are you doing"

"uhhhhh you shouldn't be walking... you need your rest , a woman in your condition shouldn't be stressing herself out"

"huh ...what condition? There's nothing wrong with me...I'm just a little exhausted"

"See what I mean...You should be resting and I prepared dinner..."

"but...I'm not hungry.."

"What? But you have to eat! You'll starve!"

"huh ...trust me I won't starve..The last time I checked a body can go a week without food, or is it 4 days or something like that-"

"How about none, ...for you that is"

"How about later, I reallllllllllly just want to be with you..."

"Al right...fighting is not good _for theeeeeeeee _marriage" ,Said athrun as he caught himself before letting it slip, that he knew about the pregnancy.

"Please Athrun, Just lie with me on the lounge chair, I just want to know that I will wake up and you'll be right there next to me. Right now_**... I need only you**_"

"Alright then , but later you eat...promise"

"It's a deal" he let out a short laugh and said, " I'll settle for that"

And then he laud down next to her, a few moments later he felt cagalli shiver...

" Are you cold?"

"A little" she said. He then took off his oversized shirt and covered her with it _"What about you?"_

"I'm ok as long as I have you next to me...are you sure you don't want to go inside and lay on the bed?"

"No...I want to be amongst the stars, I'm more comfortable that way, besides I have you ...And right now that's all I need"

A few hours later she was finding it difficult to sleep, as she awoke she was happy to see that athurn had rolled over on his side, because that meant that there e was little chance of her waking him. She remembered that her father use to give her warm milk at night whenever she had trouble sleeping. She checked the guest house kitchen and there was none, so she decided to walk to the main house. Half asleep she waltzed through the living room door only to find kira and lacus cuddled up on the couch with two empty glasses of wine on the table. As she began to walk towards the kitchen , she heard a door open upstairs. She decided to take a detour from the kitchen to see what it was. She saw someone in what appeared to be a maids uniform walk into kira and lacus's room. A few moments later she heard someone say.

"got them! I'm free at least for a little while at the _**very **_least"

However the person didn't notice cagalli standing in the doorway in her nightgown..

"Your hair color may have changed and maybe you manipulated your eye color, but I know you!"

"No, no you don't you must be mistaken" Cagalli noticed her right hand bawled up into a fist.

"What is it that you have in your hand... Give me that!"

" I'm warning you cagalli, stay away from me, I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you leave me no choice...I just needed my pills, so why don't you be a good little girl, turn around and forget what you saw...After all, they do belong to me" Cagalli looked a little bit perplexed, before it finally clicked in her head as to whom she was dealing with, this person was no ordinary maid...It was no other than Topaz.

"I spared your life, and now you come back to rob us ...Who the hell do you think you are ...! I promised you that the next time you interfered in my life and those around me that I was going to knock you into oblivion!"

" Go ahead if you really think you have **the strength** or **the skill**. _Just keep in mind that when I stole your_ _life before I had to downgrade my_ **skills** to match yours...!"

" **You bitch!"** Cagalli walked over to slap Topaz only to find that she dodged it , and then Topaz backslapped cagalli so hard that her lip bled.

" In case you haven't noticed,... I'm still standing", said cagalli

"Yeah, but not for long!" She then kicked cagalli in the stomach, but she was able to block it with her hand, She then grabbed Topaz's foot and twisted it sideways causing her to flip to the floor. The two tussled all the way down the hallway.

_**Meanwhile**__, now_ Athrun had come in through the living room door, and he too found lacus and kira on the couch slumped over . Only He walked over and shook kira trying to awaken him,

"Kira! Kira!" kira wiped his eyes

"Have you seen cagalli?" Just as Athrun said that they heard a glass break upstairs. As Lacus sat on the couch trying to come to her senses, Kira and Athrun ran to the disturbance on the second floor. Once they arrived, They were shocked to see cagalli tussling with the maid nina.

"Stop this right now!", yelled athrun

Cagalli had managed to get topaz's arm twisted behind her back... When she looked to her left she saw kira, Athrun and then lacus climbing the stairs behind them trying to figure out what's going on. Everything appeared as if were happing in slow motion.

Cagalli thought about how both war's started because of clones, how she was now trying to save her family from a clone and how there are now clones growing inside her**, NO more she kept thinking, No more**_, I must protect everyone and I won't be responsible for another war_. When she turned her head to the right she saw the seven foot, second story glass window.

"She then whispered into topaz's ear...I said that I would knock you into oblivion if you ever came near me or my family again, but on second thought I'm going to take you **there...** _personally..." _

_With that being said with all her might and all her strength, she ran through the window taking her advisory with her... _


	21. Chapter 21: Freefall

_**Chapter 21: Freefall**_

As she was freefalling head first toward the ground her life began to flash before eyes, She wanted to die, to end it all before the situation progressed further. She felt that if she lived another day a war would begin, but only this time Orb would be the target. If those children were allowed to be born it would only be a small amount of time before Al killed her, and manipulated them to do his bidding , after all, they were designed to be his cloans and he could influence them anyway he liked even before birth. _But still she didn't decide this lightly_. She couldn't live with herself if she killed them, but _then again_ who said she had to live at all, and what better way to go then protecting your loved ones. While holding onto Topaz tighter she said,

"I'm sorry Topaz, but I won't let you **die** alone, because of my existence, your life has been filled with suffering." That was her excuse anyway

_**But still~**_ _it was hard when she thought of him_,

_"Kira"_ she said with a shallow breath, as she thought of her father giving her the picture of them both before she boarded the kusanagi

_"You won't be alone, you'll be with your brother" said lord uzumi _

_He'll be ok she thought, his parent's will be there to comfort him and he'll have Lacus to share a full life with..._

but then her memories of the other consumed her thoughts "Athrun" .. because he has no one...no mother, no father, and soon no ... and then she saw Athrun's face fixated within her mind, and sharply heard his voice say

" The hardest battle is to keep living" she then realized

that if she died now, she would be playing right into Al's hands .. he only needed her body to keep _**them**_ alive, and her status to elevate _**them**_ to the top of the political spectrum. What he really wanted was Orbs power, And right now she was about to kill the very person who could possibly lead her to him and take away his.

"Sorry topaz you need to live a little longer their is someone else I need to kill first, he wants to manipulate me and possibly drive me insane DAMMIT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!" screamed cagalli. She felt a kind of dormant power awaken within her , It's as if whatever she thought happened. She released Topaz from her hold and maneuvered her body in such a way that she rolled onto the ground. Topaz bounced once dropping the pills and then landed on her side, as she tried to reach for them ..cagalli grabbed her arm, turned her onto her backside straddling her front. With topaz's legs in between hers... she pulled her up by her shirt, and punched her face.

"Listen to me whether you live or die makes no difference to me,...but..."

Topaz wasn't listening she tried tirelessly again and again to reach for her pills and then purposely began to convulse hoping to draw cagalli's attention away from what she was doing, but it was too late. Cagalli saw what she was reaching for and grabbed the bottle.

"**This-** is this what you want**?**?"

Topaz turned her head away..

" Hey bitch listen to me...If you want these, you'll tell me what I need to know.." topaz thought for a moment, and then decided to play along... If cagalli needs her then she'll have the pills, be rid of her enemies, and have athrun in bed just in time for lunch, after all, if cagalli was anything like her then revenge has a heavy price to pay, and in her state of mind she was sure that her original would pursue it to no end ... she wanted to grin, but instead she sighed

"Whatever, I'm dead anyway" and then she began to shake, as cagalli tried to hold her down the crystal necklace that her mother had given her shaped in the form of the upside down obelisk slipped out of her shirt and dangled from her neck. It illuminated as the moonlight hit it, and that caught topaz's attention.

"How...How..." uttered toapaz as she was trying to speak..."Did you ge...t... The sol...a...rium crystal Via you bitch, you finally did it...but why did you give it to heeeeeeeeeerrrrrrr" and then she passed out .. It was all part of her plan, but cagalli didn't know that..

Her eyes grew wide filling with tears as she still sat straddling topaz's body weeping. Not for her loss of life, but because she thought she lost the one person that would lead her to salvation ... she screamed as it began to rain. However, In the shadows slowly walking toward her direction was shin, and standing on the side of the building trying really hard not to be noticed was kuzzy .. He didn't approach, he had only come to see kira, but caught an eye full instead,

"Cagalli" he whispered beneath his breath " You are the gift that just keeps on- giving " said kuzzy with a smirk on his face as he quietly walked away disappearing along the side of the buiding.

In the meantime, cagalli was now kneeling beside topaz's body pounding her fist into the grass that was now wet with the rain. Then she heard a shuffle, she didn't turn around to see who it was, Instead she quickly rolled out of her position , grabbed a rock and aimed for the persons head. Although he managed to dodge it by tilting his head to the side, nothing stopped him from _drawing his gun._

_**Moments earlier~~~**_

_He didn't run to the window when she jumped out as lacus and kira had done to see if she survived. Instead He ran to their room and grabbed the one weapon he kept under the night stand, because whether she lived or died the fact still remained that someone was going to pay the piper. He didn't have time to wait or tell the others what he was doing, time was of the essence. He hastily ran to the stairs and jumped over the railing to ground floor crouching his body as he landed to absorb the impact. He ran out of the opened patio door and their he saw someone leaning over the maids body. He was sure that it was cagalli, but couldn't help but draw his weapon when a projectile came flying at him. It was now a Mexican stand off, only the person on the other end was not holding a weapon._

SheHuffed and puffed with her fists at her side, once she saw who it was, she relaxed her fingers and her hands rested at their side. She wanted to run to him but he had a blank stare on his face, and then she heard someone behind her speak her name with a raspy voice.

"ca...ga...l..l...i"

She didn't need to turn around, she knew that it could only be topaz, but what she failed to realize was the she wasn't the only one who heard it, so did Athrun, as she reached for his hand in an attempt to lower his gun.. He fired...

at that instant her arm fell down to her side... She didn't look, but turned her head to see if topaz was ok and then she heard another click...

As she turned face forward... There stood kira behind Athrun with a gun pointed at the back of his head...

_**Minutes earlier~~~~**_

_Kira and Lacus ran to the window as cagalli jumped out of it with topaz. kira noticed blood on the glass but didn't know whom it was from_

_"Oh MY!" said lacus as she saw the red droplets on the window pane. Kira just stood there stunned and speechless it was as if the scene of her jumping kept playing over and over in his head and then he heard a thud as lacus sat on the floor with her face coupled in her hands in disbelief. He didn't care where Athrun was, nor did he want to comfort his wife. After all, He knew where she was ... but cagalli..._

_without thinking he just reacted...He took off his shirt exposing his hard bare chest, wrapped it around his hand and punched out the remaining pieces of glass hanging around the window pane. He then threw his shirt on the hallway floor and jumped feet first out the window. As he landed he heard a gunshot, He saw Shin out of his peripheral vision to his right, grabbed the gun from his hand turned around and pointed it to the back of athrun's head. _

"Pull that trigger again and it will be your last**!**", said a very stern, but tense Kira " Do you even notice what you're doing?"

Athrun looked around and he saw topaz clenching her chest.. had he shot her? He wondered .. He saw lacus race to her aid with three military officers , as they helped topaz/ nina to her feet lacus stood thinking about how she arrived at this moment

_**A few minutes earlier...**_

_As lacus looked up, she noticed kira jumping out of the window. She realized that she had to do something...bouncing down the hallway came pink haro .._

_She cuddled her dear pink with her cheek_

_"My dear pink what am i to do..." She thought for a moment while stroking pink haru with her hands as if it were a child._

_"MY dear pink you must go to the gate quickly and bring back the guards to the south side, for we have an enemy in our midst"_

_"oooooooooookkkkkkkkkkk non nu non nu", said haru, as she ordered it to alert the guards at the gate._

_Lacus then removed the cell phone from her pocket and texted shin to meet her on the south side of the building and to be ready for trouble. Afterwards, she ran down the stairs holding her dress. Once the guards arrived at the front door accompanied by lacus they ran around to the south side of the building where they saw Topaz trying to get up from the ground. _

"Take her to number one", said lacus

Topaz still had a tough time standing. Shin who was standing behind kira walked over to where lacus and the guards were, before he reached them cagalli called out his name

"Shin!" He turned his head toward her and she threw him the bottle.

"make sure they give her only one of these and you keep the bottle, but wait till she's secure. I didn't survive for nothing dammit"

"Whatever, I don't take orders for you, but I do see your point" Shin walked over to Topaz and stood in front of her

"your pathetic" he said to her... " Hey guys, In spite of what she's done.. She's not a piece of meat you know. He picked her up and carried her limp body to number one. As he passed by, athrun was reminded of carrying meer's limp body down the corridor of the arc angel, but this was different. Because Topaz... was still Alive. He then turned his attention to cagalli, as the rain picked up a little he saw pink water begin to flow along the sidewalk beneath her feet. He then saw cagalli stumble backwards a little only to be caught by lacus.

"Whoa! Don't fall we can't have you getting injured now can we", said lacus with a small grin on her face

Cagalli smiled and stared at Lacus trying to help her gain her footing

"Thanks but your...Too little... too late"

Lacus held up her right hand and with a stunned look on her face she stood speechless as she watched the blood wash off with the rain.

" Relax lacus it's just a flesh wound, nothing to be concerned about, I've been through worse. Athrun fell to his knee's dropped his gun on the ground and screamed,

"NOOOOO!" at the top of his lungs

Cagalli shook her head violently from side to side rushed to him as quickly as she could, without falling she knelt on the ground and held his head fast to her chest. Athrun still in shock could not speak

"It's not your fault! Athrun listen to me it's not your fault!" Athrun sounded as if he were going to hyperventilate. Although it hurt like hell she found the strength to lift her right arm and placed his face between her hands, staring straight into his eyes she repeated the words

" It's not your fault!" Then kissed him deeply, once she came up for air she slapped him.

"Sorry, but I needed you attention..." She pointed to the broken potted plant on the ground by the building.

"I told you that it was not your fault and now I've proved it toooo you..." Athrun relaxed for the first time and then cagalli fell forward into his arms. Athrun's heart skipped a beat, as lacus rushed to her aide. As he turned her onto her back he saw the cut on her arm.

"She's ok", said Lacus " but we need to get her inside out of the rain"

"right!" said athrun " kira, can you carry her please, there is something that I must do..."

"but athrun...?"

"please kira, and can I borrow your gun?"

" Sure, but promise me that you won't do anything stupid."

"Don't worry, I won't" Athrun looked down at the gun, and then turned to kira who was carrying a very limp cagalli in his arms.

"Did you know that the safety was on!"

Kira smiled,"UH... yeah, I was never going to kill you...I ..JUst wanted to show you what your future would be like..even if it meant... scaring the hell out of you...You needed to see what you were doing before it was too late... to ...go ..back, because the one thing you can't get back is your past, but ...you can change your future..." kira turned his back towards athrun, and athrun towards his, as they began to walk away with neither turning around Kira called out

"Athrun"

"yes"

"Don't do anything that I wouldn't do...promise"

"One that I'll Keep, and don't worry, I'll be there before she wakes up"

They both continued on their respective paths

Back at a very special guest house on the Atha estate known as number one Shin had given Topaz her one pill. He sat on the edge of her bed until she stopped shaking, Once she was sound asleep he decided to make his way back to the main house. He wanted to see lacus, but more than anything he needed to talk to cagalli. He ordered the guards at the front door not to let anyone in or out and left the third guard in the living room.

"Don't underestimate her, and if she wakes alert me immediately" ordered shin

" Yes, Sir understood"

Shin then walked away, but he didn't notice athrun in the distance, coming his way soaked from head to toe with a pink smear on his shirt, from the blood thatspilled as he held cagalli in his arms before kira took her away. He hid the gun underneath his shirt behind his back, so that it wouldn't be noticed. By the time he arrived to number one shin was long gone. As he approached the front door both soldiers saluted.

"At ease, Is the prisoner ...uh special guest secure?"

"yes sir, master shin said that she was sleeping and not to let anyone through sir"

" i would hardly say that I was anyone, Step aside please..."

" but!"

"Do not let me tell you again", said Athrun STERNLEY "Now let's try this again, STEP ASIDE"

They opened the door for him and that's when he noticed the guard in the living room.

"Mind if I sit with you a moment?"

"Not, at all sir!"

"Let's say we play a game of cards"

"But -"

"But what"

"You're a legend sir, I can't possibly win against you"

"You'll never know unless you try"

"Since you put it that way..sure.. it will be my honor..." the soldier couldn't control his happiness

"Hey, by the way do you want a drink"

"is it ok?"

" Sure, why not.."

Athrun grabbed two beers from the fridge and sat them on the coffee table, and although athrun only pretended to take sips of his, the guard drank as much as he could while they played cards"

**Meanwhile in the bedroom of number one **lay topaz sleeping. She was dreaming of wearing a beautiful short yellow sundress, running through a meadow filled with sunflowers only to arrive at the ocean. Once at the ocean she came upon a man dressed in white whose hair was blowing in the wind, as he turned around she noticed that it was athrun whose emerald green eyes glistened in the sunlight and his hair was wet as if he had just left the ocean. The two didn't speak, but he walked up to her grabbed her neck and gently laid her down onto the sandy beach with his body covering hers. As she stared into his eyes she began to feel something cold and hard press against her calf, and slowly travel up leg toward her inner thigh, as this happened she let out a sigh of ecstasy, not opening her eyes, she felt her breast being coupled, her nipples tingling as she felt something wet like ice touch them, she then felt tiny drip drops of water travel up her neck. She then closed her eyes as she felt him tug at her hair forcing her head back. She wanted to be surprised by what he would do next as she was swept away by his sweet smell of ocean mist. Feeling his tongue race up her neck she felt a kiss so hard as if her neck were going to bleed. But nothing could prepare her for what was next. She had heard that sound before, she opened her eyes and they met with athruns , her lips were millimeters away from his, his hair was dripping wet, but her neck was being forced back with the barrel of his gun and to make sure she didn't move, his leg was in between hers and her hair was being pulled backward with every fiber of his being.

"If you try to move you'll shorten your life, but out of respect for my wife... Tell me why should you live?"

"She struggled to speak," I've always dreamed of being in this position with you.. "

"bad answer! "He moved the gun toward her jugular and pulled her hair harder

" Wait! Wait! ...I...love you! Just one kiss... I didn't want to die without saying it.." Athrun released the safety.

"How about the kiss of death, I'm sure you have friends waiting for you in hell!" Athurn began to squeeze the trigger when topaz yelled,

**"Wait, I know who tried to kill Cagalli!"**

"why should I believe you"

" i don't know, _y our the one with the gun_ you tell me?"

Athrun stayed in the assumed position motionlessly staring into her eyes with his finger still on the trigger... He wanted to believe her, but he wasn't sure if he could control her..

**Back at the mansion**, cagalli lay sleeping with lacus sitting at her bedside reading a book, when kira walked in with a two glasses of water.

"Here you go lacus, this one's for you and this one's...well I guess she's sleeping"

"Yes, and she hasn't stirred once"

"What do you say we get something to eat" lacus looked over at cagalli

" It's ok lacus, I'm sure she'll be just fine"

"well... ok"

Kira took lacus's hand and they walked out to the room together. Once they were at the end of the hall kira grabbed her by the waist

"Oh MY! " she said

As they engaged in a marital kiss, and that's when the glass broke. Kira ran quickly down the hall to cagalli's room, she was convulsing erratically, in doing so she knocked over the glass of water, kira screamed for lacus and she came running into the room, She touched her head and it felt hot to the touch.

"Kira we have to get her to a hospital!"

"NO! we can't "

"But Kira she'll die"

" I said NO DAMMIT! now help me hold her down. Lacus just starred at kira and then he saw someone grab her feet..

Kira looked up.,, It was kuzzy

"She appears to be having the same symptoms that you had kira. You know that time when we were trapped in the desert after we descended to earth...Either way we both known that's impossible right? Cagalli is a natural. But what I don't understand is why won't you get a doctor to save your own sister?"

kira felt as if he was caught between a rock and a hard place. He turned to his wife.

"Lacus please get some ice.."

"But-"

"LACUS!" she didn't argue

Kira stood up and walked towards kuzzy

"What's your angle?"

"Theirs no angle I'm just being observant that's all...Look it appears that she has calmed down a bit..Why don't' I see you later?"

"huh...ok"

"Don't bother getting up **Kira** I know the way out"

Kira sat down in the chair and touched cagalli's head she was burning up, he couldn't help it.. These were defiantly the symptoms of a coordinator. Did she have a genetic time clock that was triggered by his blood, or could it be that which is growing inside her...

"Athrun... Kira...please...I don't want to die"

He didn't want to ignore his sisters pleas, but his gut told him to wait

"I'm not going to leave you cagalli**...Athrun where the hell are you?"**

"Please kira ... i don't want to be the cause of a war..." kira cringed as he held onto her hand ...he was the only one that knew what she was going through and right now the only one who could save her, Her life was 100 percent in his hands.

_**Down the hall Lacus was filling up a basin of water humming one of her songs of peace when she felt someone stroke her arm. She thought that it was kira but when she turned around, she quickly learned that it was not to be the case, as she found her mouth covered...by an unlikely person...**_


	22. Chapter 22: Suspicion

**Chapter 22: Suspicion**

He instantaneously turned off the lights, when she turned around, a very petrified Lacus tried very hard not to scream.

"Listen to the sound of my voice, nod_... your head ..._if you _recognize__** my...**__. _**voice**" Lacus nodded her head "Great, now I'm going to remove my hand from your mouth...please... _don't scream_", as soon as he removed his hand, she threw her arms around him

" I was so worried , I wanted to say welcome back earlier , but I didn't want kira to think that I knew anything, or ...was involved in any way, BUT..."

"Shhuuu...It's ...ok , Look who's that?" Shin had his back against the bathroom wall as he peered around the corner

" I _**don't think**_ I've seen him here before..I was on my way back from number one when I saw him walk in the back _door_"

" _**OH Nooooooo**_, It's my fault , I must of forgot to close the back door after we walked in, but kira seems to know him... I remember seeing him above the Arch angel when I was held hostage before the first war. I'm so sorry , I really don't know much about him. Is something wrong ?" Shin just kept watching kuzzey's demeanor...

"He's just standing there**, just** looking around, as if he's trying to find some place to hide, It's _**frustrating.**_...look Lacus I'm going to turn the light back on, continue doing...ehhh whatever you were doing...I'm going to keep an eye an on him... I just don't understand why Kira isn't with him... How could he let a guy**- just** wander around like that- -. By the way, where's Athrun?"

"He Ahh , ...didn't return with us"

"Didn't return...?" said a stunned shin as he was trying very hard to whisper.

"Yes, When Ms. Cagalli collapsed..."

"Collapsed ! When did she ahh.."

"Yes from the wound.."

"_**wound**_...What wound!"

"Don't worry she'll be alright ..I hope.."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN **HOP**E!"

"Look Kira's taking care of her now ...it's just that she's ru..." Shin then noticed the bowl of water on the counter with the ice in it... He was only hearing bits of pieces of what lacus was saying as he became lost in thought trying to piece together the events of the last few weeks when he heard lacus say, "And she's running a really high fever and Kira refuses to take her to a doctor..I fear that the worse may happen if something is not done"

"What ?"

"I'said.."

"Never mind that- where is Athrun ? I'm... not sure, Kira said that he would return before cagalli awakes. **... but-"**

**Lacus put her finger in her mouth and thought for a second**

**"BUT WHAT?"** said a very anxious shin

**"** I'm not going to pretend that I know everything..., but ...I tust him"

**"Lacus"**

"Yes?"

"I need your help"

"Just tell me what you need me to do.."

"Under the circumstances it's not a good idea to have people wandering around...I want you to try to lead kuzzey outside the house,...you know make sure he doesn't stick around. I'll alert the guardhouse and have one of the men patrol the grounds to make sure that he leaves the area**,...oh...and lacus.."**

"yes?"

_**"Be careful"**_

"There's no need to worry about me ...I'll be alright"

Shin turned on the light, He had a switchblade in his pocket ready to attack in case kuzzey came in before lacus left. He didn't know him, but he never trusted anyone he didn't know. lacus grabbed the bowl and nodded to shin as she walked out of the door. Shin waited until she was out of sight before slipping down the stairs.

As lacus reached the entryway of cagalli's room , kuzzey came out of the shadows.

"Why,... hello are you... lost?"

**"Ah no** I was just admiring this painting"

_"In the dark?"_

"Why not?.. Less distracting don't you think? The light that shines upon it from the window makes it look beautiful doesn't it?" As Lacus began to turn to admire it she heard kira's voice...

"Lacus" said kira as he opened the door "What took you so long I've been waiting for you!"

"I'm sorry it's just that-" she turned around and saw that kuzzey was gone.

"Please come inside " Kira then grabbed her forearm , before he closed the door he walked into the hallway. He never noticed it before but in the hallway was a portrait of cagalli in her wedding dress. He stared at it for a moment before walking back inside

" Did you see him?"

"_**See who?"**_

"Your friend..In the hallway.."

"uhhh no...There's no one in the hallway"

"But ?"

"**Never mind that Lacus**...please help me get her fever down" She looked at kira tirelessly

**"right!"**

However, kuzzey hadn't left the mansion he was merely hiding around the corner in the hallway. He had every intention of leaving earlier, but he couldn't resist. He wanted to know more about cagalli and her... _special _condition, about kira and the woman on the ground earlier. What has everyone been up to he wondered. He wanted to feel important _**again**_, needed _**agai,n he wanted in on the action, **_He was tired of being deprived while everyone else was so happy. Climbing up the social ladder the ordinary way could take forever, but if he had help from the right people it could be as easy as apple pie.

"If I don't snoop now I may never get this chance again, anyway , I must be gone before dawn"

_**Back at number one Athrun was still hovering over topaz in the assumed position. **__You've got 20 seconds to convince me not to kill you at this moment. _

_" ok, _An assassination hit was ordered on cagalli at the wedding... Kira was never the real target she was.. and I know this... because I was there "

"WHAT!"

Athrun handcuffed her right hand to the bed railing, her left foot to the other, and jumped off of her "you've got 5 min , and just so you don't forget..." he waved the gun for her to see ..Her eyes grew wide with amazement, she loved bathing in all of his attention, live or die she didn't care as long as he was focused on her~

**"huh..remember whose in control"**

"Sad to say I liked the other position better" Athrun walked over to where she was laying squeezed her jaw, looked deep into her eyes and in a soft spoken voice said,

"_Sorry to disappoint you, ...I won't make that mistake again... now __**you've **__got ... __**3 mi**__n" Topaz licked her lips as ahtrun raised her chin with his forefinger " but if I discover that one word of it was a lie ... I'll make you wish you never heard the name Athrun Zala "_

_"Iee..."_

_"Choose your words wisely, you're wasting your time"_

_"I...I... was sitting in the audience with Azi at your wedding"_

_"Azi? Who the hell is that?"_

_"Why? Jealous?" She bit her lip as she waited for his response.._

_" Don't fuck with me today I'm not in the mood"_

_"well ...allow me..." Athrun gave her a stern look "to fill you in...Azi is my, lover, at least I thought he was, he really just used me..."_

_"What do you mean __**used **__you?" athrun paced quietly throughout the room while he listened to her tale..._

_"you see after the second war there were a few of the alliances extended left, It cost too much to maintain them so we sold them"_

_"Who sold them?" Topaz didn't want to answer, she turned her head away from him.. Athrun walked over and turned it back the other way with the barrel of his gun nuzzled into her check _

_"Hey.. don't pretend you didn't hear me , I said who?"_

_Topaz reluctantly said, "Blue...cosmos, well they go by another name now.. They're called the Holy land Faction and Azi...is their leader...He's also Azirel's __**son..."**_

_" Azirel..._**that bastard**_...Hmm now that makes sense...How did you get hooked up with him..?.OH i get it,you seduced him __**right..!"**_

_Topaz shouted,"HEY...YOU ASKED ME TO TELL YOU WHAT I KNEW ABOUT CAGALLI,...don't ask me to write a dam book about my life!" Athrun starred at her blankly as if he didn't care , and Topaz felt this sentiment, so she decided to turn up the heat a little._

_"I was there in the audience sitting next to azi, and if you really must know ...I was the one who gave the signal for the gun to be raised to have kira shot...of course timing was of the essence, so i made sure cagalli was looking...You however were so wrapped up in your happiness. You wouldn't notice a gun if it was right in __**front of your face**__" Athrun became enraged ran over to her bed, and held the gun above her head as if he were going to hit her with it~ When he heard his name being called, _

_" ATHRUN...__**ATHRUN", **__he pretended not to hear and began to lower his weapon when his name was spoken louder " ATHRUN, i KNOW YOU HEAR ME YOU SICK BASTARD!"_

_**"sick bastard? Why...How dare you.." as Athrun turned around he was face to face with shin**_...

"Look now is not the time for this

" athrun both looked and felt conflicted ," I know _but I...?"_

"I think you should go, ...Lacus needs you"

"Huh..Why? Is something wrong with cagalli?"

"_I don't know_ maybe you should ask **her yourself**, and I'll look after things for you here, and...ah... don't worry...I won't tell anyone about this, it's as if it _never_ happened" athrun proceeded to walk out the door and then looked back at shin

"Thanks", he replied. Shins words infuriated Topaz. She enjoyed all the attention and didn't want it to be forgotten, and didn't mind if everyone knew the special treatment she received, while being interrogated.

Shin walked over to topaz's bedside and lifted her chin with his finger, "Topaz, I'm not going to even **ask about, **what the hell went on in here, but Fuck with his head" shin lowered his head beside hers so that he could whisper into her ear _**" **__I kill you__**, and that's a promise..**_not a threat_**"**_ and then he looked straight into her eyes "Now, I Must say that I'm a lot more persuasive then athrun", shin took a blue pill from his pocket and waved it in front of her face "NOW! Why don't you tell me how you hooked up with this azi guy and where did you disappear **to after** the wedding"

Topaz sighed, " I guess this is going to be a long night...?"

" that all depends on how good your memory is, and... how **desperate** you are"

_**"You were listening!"**_

"nahhhhh ... realllllyyyyy ...**when did you get your first clue?"**

Topaz couldn't help but sigh deeply...close her eyes..open her mouth and speak the unthinkable

Athrun was just a couple of doors down from cagalli's room, when he suddenly thought he heard someone at the end of the hall, as he approached her room he could hear lacus and kira talking in the hallway,

"I must admit, I was a bit worried kira"

"I know lacus and please let's keep this to ourselves...I really don't want to worry athrun"

"I understand , but I really wish you would ..."

"Wish you would what?" Interrupted athrun. "you did send for me didn't you lacus?"

Lacus looked perplexed, kira saw the confused look on her face and without knowing what was really going on he interjected himself into the conversation

**"I sent for you athrun, I thought **...you'd want to be here when she woke up"

Athrun still stood staring at lacus.

"I have to get going to the kitchen, in spite of everything I think I'm feeling a bit hungry" Lacus turned and kissed kira on the cheek "And athrun don't worry she is sleeping soundly inside"

"Huh yeah right.." He turned to kira as lacus walked down the hall " Kira can we go someplace and talk?"

"Uh..sure How about the balcony in cagalli's room ...I really don't want her to be alone right now"

"yeah,...I guess your right"

Athrun had left the bedroom door opened as he followed kira onto the balcony, but not before stopping at cagalli's bedside to brush the bangs from eyes with his hand and trace the crevice of her lips with his fingertips. He stood over her body for what seemed like an eternity to him, but in actuality it was only a few moments. She was soundly sleeping and he had no desire wake her~

Once on the balcony kira and Athrun stood side by side with their hands on the railing,

"Kira I saw topaz tonight..."

"Athrun you didn't..."

Athrun shook his head, "I didn't kill her, but not because I didn't want to, but because if cagalli saved her than there must have been a reason **especially** since she tried to kill her"

_"but unfortunately we don't know what her reasons are now do we...The only person who knows that is cagalli and I'm sure she'll tell us when the time is right'_

Kira had a good idea what it was, but he didn't want to let on to athrun that he knew anything more than he did.

"Kira..." said athrun as he turned his head to stare straight into his eyes. as if he were hunting for an answer" Topaz told me that she was at our wedding and **that** you were not the target..._**cagalli was**_"

Athrun was surprised by the nonchalant look on kira's face

"I get the feeling that you already knew that-"

**"NO I didn't...I...I"**

"She also said that she was there with azriel's son **and** that she was the one that signaled for the shooting to take place"

kira pounded his fist on the railing and cringed his teeth

"Who does she think she is to play with people's lives...I'm gonna" Athrun grabbed hold of kira's arm to stop him from walking out of the door

"Wait ...Kira ... First I want to _apologize..."_

**"For What ?"**

"For doubting you...When you just looked at me before, I was beginning to think that you knew something and was just keeping it from me, but right now I can see how angry you are and realized that you didn't know anything either. But i know that you would never keep a secret or any other secret concerning cagalli from me, no matter how trivial you think it is... With that being said_...I'm sorry_, please accept my apology"

Athrun bowed, and kira both looked and felt as guilty as sin, and his heart was breaking...he had to tell his friend, ...his brother about everything _he knew_

"Athrun "

"yes what is it?"

" I have to tell you something about cagalli ... You see the other night when we came home,...I wasn't actually picking he up from mireallia's, You see cagalli was missing and..."

Athrun looked at kira confused " What do you mean missing...Kira I don't unders-"

Before athrun could finish his sentence they both heard a chilling scream from inside the room

"NOOOO STAY AWAY FROM ME,... PLEASE DON'T HURT ME,...I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE ,...I WAN'T TO DIE,...JUST LET ME DIE...BUT PLEASE JUST LET ME TELL ATHRUN...I HAVE TO TELL ATHRUN...THat."

and then they heard a hard slap as if someone had been slapped into a wall. Athrun and kira opened the balcony door and came rushing into the dark room. Kira saw a shadow of someone running out the door and went to chase him down the hall, unable to catch him the individual jumped from the already broken second floor window and hit the ground running.

"DAMMIT!" yelled kira as he punched his fist into the window pane

While kira ran after the assailant athrun chose to stay behind. He quickly turned on the light. He didn't see cagalli , but he saw the blood splatter on the wall, as he walked closer, He saw her crouched up in a corner, clinging to her sheet, shivering, quivering and crying her nose was blooded and her lip was busted. then without thinking, he jumped over the bed and knelt down in front of her, and reached out his hand,

_" Hey", he quietly whispered out to her_

"No,..._please don't hurt me" said cagalli she appeared to be somewhat delusional_

_Athrun never thought that he would here those words from his wife_

_He reached out to her and she backed away, clamoring to the corner as if she was going to create a hole in the wall to get away . She scratched and scratched at the wall so hard that her fingers began to bleed_

_Athrun couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed _**her **_sheet and all, pulled her into his chest_

_**"DAMMIT IF YOUR GOING TO SCRATCH, SCRATCH ME, IF YOUR TRYING TO RUNAWAY I'LL GO WITH YOU AND THEN I'LL KILL THE SON OF A BITCH WHO DID THIS, BUT **__PLease just...let me suffer with you"_

_cagalli kept struggling within athrun's arms pounding and scratching his chest as if she were fighting back and he kept shushing her as if she were a baby, the harder she fought the tighter he held onto her...and then she felt someone gently stroke the back of her hair... _

_"Cagalli" he whispered _

_"Kira" she said softly "they're testing me..."_

_kira closed his hand into a fist, cagalli turned around to face athrun wrapped in her blood splattered sheet. She worried about him and wondered if she could protect him, deep down inside she knew that her brother was wondering the same about her-_

_Still holding onto her sheet, a teary eyed cagalli walked straight into athruns arms, athrun held onto her without complaint and although he was in pain from the wounds that cagalli had placed upon his chest, he still had enough energy to give kira a look that would kill, it's as if kira had become his enemy but tonight he was going to make him tell all, and he was determined not to rest until he got some answers. Kira gave the same look back to athrun...before he wanted to tell him everything and now he wasn't so sure, Deep down inside he wondered if they were going to have to fight each other again, but nothing was simple when it came ...to her..._

_kira starred at cagalli. Athrun starred at him with his watery glazed emerald eyes and lacus stood at the door with two glasses of ice tea starring at them both ..._

_**and on a yacht off the coast of orb sat**__ AL..."How'd it go Jin ...?",said Al as Jin knelt before him with his kodachi at his side_

_"She's **very** resilient...I was interrupted before I could bring her with me...I'm sorry sir"_

_"That's alright...she'll come to us soon enough, who can resist bread crumbs, after all, there is more than one pawn on the board,... and soon I'll be king", said Al as he turned and starred at the ocean "The funny thing about Queen's, once they've served their purpose there really isn't any need for them in the end. Isn't that right ...Sandy"_

_"Yes, and let's not forget that any pawn can become a queen once it reaches the other end of the board", __** ...and as Jin watched, she stepped from behind the shadows... **_


	23. Chapter 23: Inside Edge

**Chapter 23: Inside Edge**

The air in the room was so dense you could cut it with a knife, as everyone's emotions hung in the balance. Athrun soon felt compelled to be the first one to speak.

_**"Kira ...I..." **_

From the moment his name parted athrun's lips lacus noticeably put the glasses on the table startling all who stood, everyone turned and stared in her direction, everyone **except** cagalli that is

"I'm so sorry..I should have been more ..._gentle_" she then turned her head towards athrun and placed her hands upon her cheeks,

**"ohhh my!"** she said as she noticed athrun's torn shirt. Then at the sound of her voice cagalli lifted her face from athrun's chest. Lacus was shocked to see the open scratches engraved upon it and was taken aback by the smell of his blood that still trickled from his wounds. Her eyes than shifted to cagalli whose hair was laced with the blood from his body. She followed lacus' gaze then lifted her hands from his chest and stared at her blood stained fingernails.

_**"Type O...",**_ said cagalli

"What's that...?"

"_Your blood type...Athrun...It's O...you're a universal donor ..."_ Cagalli stared at her hands and tears quietly fell from her face and into her hands like raindrops

_"I don't know why ...I don't know why...but I can smell the difference...I don't know why... I know your type..._Just that if ...it were you who had given me the transfusion ...instead of kira..."cagalli began to shiver within her sheet "I'd be free right now"

_**"What do you mean... free?"**_

"I'm cold Athrun...I'm sooo cold" repeated cagalli very quietly over and over again as if she were lost inside her head

Kira couldn't bare to look at his sister suffering,.. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist and then turned his head toward the blood stained corner. Athrun studied his demeanor as he decided what's more important kira or cagalli. She looked like a child crouched on the floor clenching to every thread within the sheet. Then without taking his eyes from Kira, Athrun reached behind him and grabbed the blanket that lay on the chair. He flung it open and wrapped it around cagalli. Once her entire body was enveloped in it he tirelessly picked her up, and as she lay in his arms with her head rested upon his chest he turned and walked toward the door stopping short of passing through it.

**"Unforeseen circumstances may have ended our conversation abruptly tonight,** _but make no mistake..." _

Athrun took one more step without turning around, and kira neither flinched nor moved

**"...This conversation isn't over**", said athrun as he slowly walked away but he did not go to their room within the mansion. He took her to the guest house. He wanted her to be someplace untainted, a safe place with him as her keeper .

Once inside their room he laid her upon the bed and washed her blood stained hands. As she lay silently sleeping he kissed her fingertips one by one as if he were trying to free her somehow and take her pain away. Once he was certain that she was sleeping, he took off all his clothes and threw them in the fireplace, he wanted nothing bad to remind her of this night, as he stood over the flames watching them burn. He couldn't get out of his mind the thoughts of their child, he wondered if it was ok, but more than anything he wondered why she wouldn't tell him, He put down the poker and went to the shower. He felt the need to clear his head and desired to feel the warm water flow upon his face.

For minutes on end he stood with his arm braced up against the shower wall, and found himself lost in thought . He was trapped in this endless mental loop of _seeing cagalli's face staring up at him quietly whispering how cold she was,_ he grabbed his head as if her were trying to shake the image, and then he felt it_...those arms...he looked down and saw those hands ...Those gentle hands with the fingers he's kissed so many times this night. _

_"Cagalli..."_ he whispered softly yet tender

"I'm sorry athrun ..." she quietly replied

"_shhh _there's nothing to apologize for..." said athrun soothingly as he traced the length of her arms that embraced him from behind. He felt the weight of her head rest upon his back and then he slowly exhaled all his frustrations before taking two steps forward moving them both underneath the shower spout, basking both of their bodies in a warm blanket of water. As he gradually turned around he saw her lips part to speak, but before she could utter a word he placed his finger over her lips and slowly shook his head from side to side. Athrun then grabbed the shampoo and gently washed the blood from her hair. As he turned off the water he noticed that cagalli crossed her arms in front of her chest and bowed her head so that he would not see her eyes

" I'm trying to protect everyone, but I'm not sure that I have the strength"

_**"What do you mean protect everyone?"**_

"I tried athrun, I tried to stop her, but I thought of you..."

_"cagalli your not making any sense?"_

"Why couldn't it of been you, why couldn't it of been you to give me blood, why couldn't you of been there through it all...I'm sorry…I'm not trying to make you feel bad"

"_Cagalli please... stop! This is tearing you up...I can't take seeing you like this ..."_ He grabbed both of her hands, " ...come on let's go to bed"

"No! If I go to bed I'll just get hurt again, I 'll …_put you in danger_"

"_noo, ...nooo trust me that's not going to happen..I have several guards posted outside and then their's me.. I promise I won't let anything happen to you...I'll never leave your side..." _with those words he lead her out of the shower and tucked her into bed. He laid beside her cradling her head in his arm and lightly stroking her other arm with his other hand assuring her that she was safe, and watching as she quietly drifted off to sleep. She had a calm, angelic look on her face as if she hadn't slept in years. As he kissed her forehead goodnight he could hear her mumble,

_"Azi...I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to me,...and then I'll kill AL...because ...I ...have to protect Athrun"_

Athruns' lips quivered and his eyes opened wide with the sound of her words. He quietly stepped out of bed , and stood over her clenching his fist trying insanely hard to fight back his emotions, as if this wasn't the first time he heard azi's name tonight. He couldn't control the thought that perhaps he had done something to cagalli. It took everything within him to keep from waking cagalli. He didn't try to get dressed, but he was no longer going to be the fool standing in the dark. Not wanting to be seen he jumped off the balcony railing dressed in only his black satin pajamas with one destination in mind

_**"...Kira**_ ... I'm coming for you " He spoke beneath his shallow but tense breath

Back In cagalli's room stood kira still staring at the wall as lacus sat in the chair

"Kira..._Kira please_...you've been there for over an hour"

"Lacus you saw how traumatized cagalli was tonight"

"_yes_, but it is not our place" she stood up and walked over towards him and grabbed his clenched fist "The only one who can help her... is him...He will be the star that will guide her through this just as you are my sun that brightens my way"

" but your forgetting something lacus...I'm also the moon watching over them both, _**but your right**_ ...I don't think I'm going to accomplish much...by standing here...It's...just that when she suffers, _so do I_ and ..."

**"so do I!"**

Athrun walked into the room until he stood toe to toe with kira and then punched him in the face

"**ATHrun Stop!"** yelled lacus

Kira reached out his hand as he lay on the floor stopping lacus as she walked toward him

"It's ok lacus ...I knew this was going to happen...I just didn't think it would be this soon"

**"You son of a bitch!"**

Kira scrambled to his feet and blocked athrun's next punch

"Lacus can you leave us alone for a bit"

"but kira?"

"lacus please...you know athrun and you know me...please trust me..._trust us_"

"of course I will" she then smiled and quietly walked out of the room

**"Kira !"**

"I know athrun,...we need to talk...but...let's not do it like this _ok_.."

_"Where then?"_

"Outside...where we last saw the birds"

"Your impossible..." said athrun as he put his head in his hands

"So I've been told, and I promise not to avoid you"

Athrun calmly lowered his fist and sternly said, "agreed" and kira nodded without reservation

On his yacht off the coast of orb Al was having a conversation with sandy in his room.

"How long is the incubation period of the embryos?"

"about 2 months", replied sandy as she swirled a glass of red wine in her left hand. "Why is this so important to you...?"

"You ask to many questions, you really just need to do as your told'

"Careful Al...I'm beginning to think that she matters to you"

"_**Hardly**_, she means nothing to me. Just a means to an end"

_"aren't you worried about Kira Yamato interfering in your plans?"_

"No,...I have him right where I want him...It's just a matter of time before I'm in control of everything...Once the children are born...**one will be in position to control the plants and the other orb"**

_" And how do you plan on managing that?"_

"Easily, cloan's age quickly, hopefully the aging process can be controlled this time around, and with ullen's research and involvement. I can soon come out of the shadows and the world will be at my feet"

"And let me guess...Kira yamato won't dare harm his sister's prodigy's"

"but of course my dear...he needs something to carry on her memory...**Now leave me!** I have much work to do and please send Jin in won't you"

"Of course...It's been a pleasant evening, perhaps another time" Sandy set the glass on the table and as she turned to walk away he lit up cigar and starred out the ocean window. She didn't turn around, but kept walking, as she closed door behind her she noticed Jin laying up against the wall with his hands crossed

"He's never trusted any woman don't think you'll be the first" She gave Jin a stern look

"He wants to see you" and then she just kept walking. _But deep down inside she knew that their was more to Al's plan than just a couple of kids…_

Jin uncrossed his arms and entered his masters chamber.

**" Yes Master",** said Jin as he knelt down before him

"Jin I need you to look after cagalli…. The first 2 months of her pregnancy are the most critical and I'm afraid she might do something stupid. Now I honestly don't think that those 2 men in her life _would allow_ anything to happen to her, but the fact remains that you were able to enter the mansion inflict harm to her and get away without a scratch. Which could only mean that there incompetent. Now our surveillance has indicated that kira has a friend name kuzzy that has not been a part of their inner circle for a long but has just reconnected with him. I want you to befriend him, join their inner circle and try not to make yourself noticed. If you change your hair color and eyes you should fit in just nicely. **Understood?"**

"Master"

"what is it?"

"_What happens after 2 months?"_

"That depends, they'll no longer be a need for her after the children are born as a matter of fact...if I can insure their vitality...They don't even need to be born_...naturally that is_..."

_"And what of her husband?"_

" He's essential for now... **Enough Questions! Now Go!"**

"Sorry master, I'll take my leave and appoint a temporary guard for you" Jin then left the way he came in

Back at the mansion by the shore Athrun began his long awaited conversation with kira

"Kira…Tonight cagalli mentioned Azi's name, now… I know that she is pregnant and as close as you two are I'm certain that you know too,..but what I don't understand is why would she keep that from me and how is she involved with ….topaz's lover…unless…_**He's done something to her?"**_

Kira was sweating bullets, but wanted to be careful about what he said to Athrun so as to not inflame the situation further

"Athrun I honestly don't know how she knows azi or azriel's son but to confirm your thoughts… Yes, I did know cagalli was pregnant, but she asked me not to tell you, and I think that you should not tell her that you know unless she tells you first_. She could be trying to surprise you_"

" Kira she also mentioned a person named Al….**Who the hell is that?"** Kira eyes grew wide and he stood motionless

"I see,…_**you do know something**_"

"I….I….I've never met him, but from what I heard …He's a very dangerous person..which is why I'm going to do everything in my power to protect cagalli.."

"Your power! I have a power of my own and it's called commitment and no offence but don't you think protecting her is something that I should do, It is after all my responsibility. Don't you remember during the first war when you left her in my care at yakem due, you told me to protect cagalli and then left now that's what I plan to keep doing….As soon as she wakes …I'll get the rest of the story from her, I won't be left in the shadows again …Understand!"

_**"yes"**_ replied kira with a somber look on his face, He worried that Athrun would not see cagalli the same way if he found out the children weren't his, but he'd rather her be abandoned now than later if that were to be the case. Either way, he would be their to pick up the pieces in the morning, but for now he decided to let athrun walk away, he feared that if he said to much everyone would splinter.

"**Whose there!"** said kira as he heard a rustling in the maze

"You could of told me kira" said lacus with a depressed look on her face. Kira walked over to her and grabbed her into his arms.

_"It ….wasn't for me to tell…"_

"Kira I'm so worried …."

" It's ok Lacus…now this is where I get to tell you …just have faith that they'll pull through this…..well find out just how strong that is…in the morning"

_**On his way back to the guest house was athrun who had a clenched fist in his right hand and as a single tear streamed down his left cheek. Emerging from number one was shin who stopped to stare up at the stars. Quietly sleeping in bed was cagalli, and on a speed boat heading towards orbs shore was tall man with dark auburn hair, and green eyes…. and still snooping around on the property was kuzzey smiling as he listened to athrun and kira's every word… **_


	24. Chapter 24: Turmoil

Chapter 24: Turmoil

Athrun was filled with feelings of fear, love, sadness and anger all rolled into one. He felt _sadness_ because cagalli was suffering and he couldn't take her pain away_, fear_ of not knowing what to expect next , _lov_e as he'll do anything to protect her even give his life, and _anger_ because he felt that she was keeping something detremental from him and they _**promised**_ no secrets. As he approached the guest house, he lessened his pace and began to walk slower until he stopped in front of a bench that sat on the patio beneath their room balcony . He glared up at the still opened sliding glass door which he had exited earlier, listening for sounds of uneasiness. He breathed a sigh of relief when he was satisfied with empty air, he then sat down. He wanted to think and collect his thoughts, contemplating what to say. He wanted to give her space and room to be herself , but the more space he gave her the more he realized that he was being kept in the dark. It's as if he were trapped in a house without a door. As he sat down with his head in his hand he felt a familiar touch of a hand upon his shoulder accompanied by a scent of cherry blossoms only to see some wisp by, and thought to himself what is the meaning of this?

Cagalli soon found herself sitting along the shore dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt that sigh had given her with her feet buried in the sand. She hugged her knees with her arms as the warm wind blew gently against her face. The sun was slowly beginning to set but she didn't care. She was wrestling with a past she knew little about, a present she was struggling to hold onto and a future that she could no longer see. She looked upon the vast ocean deep in thought as only the sound of the waves crashed against the shore. And then she saw cherry blossoms flow in front of her face…

"beautiful aren't they …?"

"yes…wha….." cagalli gradually turned her head and saw a woman in a light blue summer dress, short black hair with a cherry blossom flower adorning it "I mean…they shouldn't be here this time of year….who are you…?."

She smiled peacefully and then slowly sat down next to cagalli burying her feet in the sand next to hers

"_Who am I ..…?_ ? It's been so long since I've called my own name….. I'm here for you….."

"It's strange …we've only just met …..yet I feel as if I've known you all my life….."

_"Please tell me….what's hurting you?…..and I promise to listen…"_

"What hurts….." Cagalli looked at her confused " Do I look injured?"

_"I only have to see your eyes to know the pain in your heart…..It's just the two of us…perhaps …I can help you find you way….."_

"My way?"

"Yes, your path …..There must be a reason that you're here all alone on this deserted beach with no one around and nowhere to go…."

"You're wrong…..because you're here…why is that?…"

"It's because I wish to be…." The woman touched cagalli's face with her right hand. Cagalli then felt something break inside her heart and her face became red and hot and then her eyes flowed with tears ….for what seem like moments on end words were not exchanged between the two. The woman just looked peacefully into her eyes with an angelic look upon her face as if she knew her thoughts and all the pain and turmoil trapped within her…. Her head than begin to hurt and her nose trickled blood. The woman then sat on her knees and placed cagallis head into her lap and gently stoked her hair.

"_It's ok, It's ok,…_..you don't have to pretend with me…you don't have to hold it in…..Trust me when I tell you that I know everything and no one blames you" Cagalli felt this to be true, she lifted her head and wiped the blood from her nose,

" Something …..is …coming to take away the people that I love and….I haven't the power to protect …..They've always been there for me , and I can't protect them except in death and I feel that I'm too much of a coward to die by my hands…and even worse….The one that I love is going to suffer no matter the outcome"

"Trust me when I tell you that it's going to be ok….you already have the power…you just need to find the strength within yourself" Cagalli lifted her head and the crystal dangled from her neck

Then the woman who smelled of cherry blossoms reached out her hand and took hold of the jewel that laid around cagalli's neck and she held it, It began to glow.

"This solarium crystal comes from a galaxy that existed long ago that is now extinct. It also holds the power that you seek and will aide you in the trials that lie ahead. You needn't worry about your future this will help to brighten your way. It is true your journey will be difficult, but I believe you will make the right decision at the right time, without hesitation, and save all those you hold dear to your heart"

She stood up and then helped cagalli to her feet. You're like this ocean when the water slams against the shore that's you becoming irrational, when the water is relaxed on top and the undertow is grabbing underneath. That is you holding something so terrible inside and showing the best on the outside so that no one worries _**and now look**_…the waves are calm, because your heart is at peace. Cagalli I was worried for so long about my son and now …I know that he'll be protected, because he has you"

The sun's rays began to beam upon the beach shore and the woman walked backwards into them

_"Cagalli?_ …wait….how do you know my name…?."

_"That doesn't matter…..please continuing protecting my son as I'm sure he'll protect you….I came, because I wanted to say thank you….for everything…and Thank you for taking away all my fears…I no longer have to worry….." she then began to disintegrate within the sun's rays._

"Please don't go!"

_" I can rest now_**…..I love you both"**

Cagalli threw out her hand and rushed towards her

"No wait! Don't go…! Don't go!...WAIT!..._LENORE!" _and then she was covered in a wave of water

He heard her scream calling out someone's name. He ran into the house up the stairs and pushed the door open, cagalli's nightgown and hair was soak and wet with sweat, and blood trickled from her right nostril . She clung onto her blanket trying to control her anxiety, and kept her eyes a fixated upon athruns as he walked towards her

"Lenore….was ..here"

"Impossible" He grabbed some tissue from the nightstand …

"Athrun don't you smell the ….cherry blossoms…"

"cherry blossoms…_my mom's…favorite flower_…..strange…..it's not even the season" She grabbed hold to athrun in her arms.

" Athrun I'm home"

"Your home…..you never left"

"I don't have to …home is where the heart is and mine is with you" Lay with me and I promise we'll talk in the morning, It's now my turn to protect you"

"Right…_about that cagalli_" She then placed a kiss upon athrun's lips

"Please…_trust m_e in the morning…."

"Right morning…" He laid down in the bed and she went to the shower to wash the sweat from her body. She had never felt more free, and reveled in the warm water that cleansed her body and then she felt a hard thump within her lower abdomen. She pressed against the shower wall to maintain her balance and then there was a second thump which brought her to her knees. To keep from crying out she grabbed a portion of the shower curtain and put it in her mouth and bit down hard, and then there was another one much harder than the first or second combined, …before she knew it she was passed out in the fetal position on the shower floor, but oddly there was no blood, and athrun had fallen into a peaceful sleep while listening to the sound of the water that trickled as cagalli bathed in the shower, unknowing of her situation, he slept like a baby.

**He was sitting at the counter at the Ramen noodle shop, enjoying** the chef's seafood special when a tall man with auburn hair and dark green eyes wearing glasses walked in. He sat next to kuzzy and ordered the same. While he waited the stranger decided to make idol conversation.

"Hi my name's Jun, I heard this is a great place to eat, can you vouch for that ?"

Kuzzy took a pause from his eating and starred into jun's eyes "Do you always do that?"

_"Do what?"_

"Talk to someone while there eating. Don't you think that's **rude**?"

Jun didn't flinch at his stare "I'm sorry…..it's just That ~…"

Kuzzey left his money on the counter, "Forget about it, I'm out of here…"

Jun smiled as his plan was working like a charm.

As soon as kuzzey left Toya's ramen shop, he was pulled into an alley by three tall heavy set men with dark hair and buck teeth.

"If this is a shake down, you've got the wrong guy. I just used my last amount of cash to pay for my meal" he pulled his hands out of his pockets to show them the lent.

"Is that right…Then I guess we'll have to beat it out of you..then" The one called toothless then punched him in the stomach causing him to double over. He then saw a pair of red shoes, as he lifted his head upward he noticed the guy from earlier putting on his gloves.

**" Hey YOU, mind your own dam business, keep walking**"

" is that anyway to talk to someone's friend"

"What did you say!"

"I sorry, It looks like two of you don't have a partner,…let's dance, and I'll lead…With my fist!" Jun knocked one down with a roundhouse kick another one with a backhanded slap , fist punch and the last one went crying for his momma, afterwards he knelt down in front of his new found friend.

" Let's say I help you up, and this time there should be no complaint, because you're not eating…What do you say we go to my place.."

" I don't know about that we just met.."

"I don't think you're in a position to argue"

"I have to agree,…question…." Said kuzzy as he grunted "why did you put your gloves on back there?"

"It's simple…I didn't want to get my hands dirty, Who knows where those idiots have been"

"hands dirty….yeah…right"

Jun then carried kuzzey to his apartment, but he was so out of it. He failed to notice that it was directly across the hall from his. Once inside Jun took of his shoes and tucked him in on the couch only to hear him mumble

"Cagalli, you'll finally **bow** down to me"

Jun wasn't quite sure if he knew of cagalli's pregnancy, but had he mentioned the word he would of killed right then and there without hesitation. Instead he walked upon the terrace and called his master

"I'm in sir, I'm amazed at how kira yamato's friends are so trusting"

"Good…JIN…. keep a low profile and don't contact me unless I give the signal for you to **contact m**e, we can't risk anyone discovering the true motive of my plans"

"Understood, and if he refuses to cooperate"

"Well **we** both know, that won't happen, **because we** both know how good you are, and failure..is not an option…you can be **replaced"**

"Yes sir, sorry sir"

Al then Al hung up without hesitation, Jin remained on the balcony contemplating his next move

And Shin ….

Stood with his back against the door of number one, trying to think of how to tell Kira that the possibility of another war existed, and cagalli may be _the key_ if not the **cause….**


End file.
